Past Imperfect
by StormBrisingr
Summary: Time Travel. Lauren goes back in time. She starts working behind-the-scenes to keep Bo safe, including but not limited to pushing her with Dyson. Too bad the succubus never got the memo and falls more for the doctor.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Time Travel. Lauren goes back in time. She starts working behind-the-scenes to keep Bo safe, including but not limited to pushing her with Dyson. Too bad the succubus never got the memo and falls more for the doctor.

Disclaimer: Not mine except my stuff.

A/N: So I started watching Lost Girl a few weeks ago and haven't finished (nearly done with Season 3) but I was hit by this really strong plot bunny and decided to just write it out...

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Past Imperfect Prologue

"I have it here," Bo whispered to the hooded figure in front of her. Even in the darkness and with the black, formless clothes, the succubus could recognize the person in front of her anywhere. Bo held out the iron band, which looked like a large bracelet or even a manacle without a chain.

The other person let out a breath and then reached out to grasp the band as well. "Thank you, Bo. You won't regret—" Her voice came to a stop when she tugged and Bo's fingers refused to part with the object. Bo could almost hear the swallow that followed. "Bo?"

"Kenzi," Bo whispered, fingers tightening almost painfully on the metal. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before looking back at the shorter girl. "It seems I haven't quite convinced myself that this is an act that would benefit my reign." She gritted her teeth and her eyes flashed blue. "Please don't tell me you believed me when I told you to come alone," she murmured. At the first half, she sounded as if she was begging Kenzi to have an ace up her sleeve, but by the end of the sentence her voice had become silky and dangerous.

"I trust you," Kenzi said firmly. Her voice didn't waver as she lifted her free hand to pull down her hood, freeing her straight black hair and allowing her to meet Bo's electric blue eyes with her own pale gray ones. "You know I'll use this to help you Bo," she added.

For a second, Bo's throat tightened and her eyes returned to the familiar brown that Kenzi had seen so little of recently. In that moment, both were not the Queen succubus and the stubborn key player of the rebels but rather Bo struggling for control of her powers and Kenzi the ever-faithful friend.

Then Bo began to laugh, wrenching the shackle-bracelet out of Kenzi's grip. Her eyes began glowing blue again. "Help me?" She cried. "None of you helped me when I decided to unite the Dark and Light Fae under my rule. You called me evil, but I know you all just feared my power."

Kenzi clenched her hands into fists. "You killed people Bo! Innocents! That's not the Bo we _know_. And I know you're in there somewhere. You know that we can help you and fix everything with this." She pointed at the metal but her hands shook slightly.

Bo began to laugh hysterically. "Unless you can bring Lauren back, you can't fix anything. And this shackle has nothing to do with death." A snarl formed on her lips before she regained her composure and continued harshly, "And I heard you all clearly enough years ago when none of you tried to help me bring her back. You can't fix anything Kenzi." An unpleasant smirk formed at the succubus' lips at Kenzi's flinch. Reveling slightly in the pain, she continued, "But I can. I am greater than death and I will bring her back."

"But that's..." Kenzi shook her head when she realized that saying "impossible" was not the right thing to say considering her own plans.

"Listen Kenzi. I've only let your little rebel group stay because it's amusing. But I'll bring Lauren back and then she will join me to finalize our rule." Bo threw the manacle down with a clatter at Kenzi's feet. "So enjoy your last few days. Not even that can stop my power now no matter what you plan," Bo's eyes gleamed. "I'll even give you a ten second head-start before I follow to collect this back and destroy the last of your petty rebellion."

Kenzi stared at Bo, wondering if she had been serious about her dropped hint on bringing Lauren back. _It's been years_, she though with horror. _What will she even be like? A zombie? Oh god, I really hope this works._

"One," Bo said slowly and Kenzi snapped to attention. She scooped up the fallen metal band and then turned and ran. "Two..."

Kenzi raised her hand to her ear. "I have the thingy," she hissed as her feet pounded the concrete. "She gave me a ten second head-start but there's no way I can outrun Her Succu-ness." She twisted and turned a corner.

"That's why I was here for backup," Dyson's gruff voice rumbled beside her as he suddenly began running beside her. "Ready?"

"Hells yeah," Kenzi managed to say before he scooped her up and sprinted through the next several streets. "Is the ambush ready?" she asked him, gripping tightly on his shoulder and the iron with a hand each.

"Anybody following us will get hit with it," Dyson assured her as he passed into another street. They pulled to a stop at what looked like a closed bar. Still carrying Kenzi, Dyson went around the back and knocked briefly. They were let in after a moment and Kenzi leapt to the ground.

She looked around quickly to see the few remaining Fae still part of their group standing straight with weapons out and ready for their plan to be set in motion. "I miss the Dal," the human said hopelessly before she and Dyson turned to look at the person who had opened the door. "Hey," Kenzi said, holding out the object in her hands. "We got it."

The Nain Rouge nodded expressionlessly. "Then come with me. Disaster is already here," she instructed. As she turned to go towards the back, her words were proven true as there was a loud crack as something slammed against the door.

Kenzi whirled from where she had moved to follow the girl but Dyson pushed her back. "You go on ahead, I'll hold them—her—off," he told her earnestly. The Fae that had been in the room were splitting into two groups. One of which split to leave through some other exits to try to flank the attackers while the other bunched up at the door behind Dyson.

"D-man," Kenzi shook her head. "I can't leave you! You're the only one left—" Her voice stopped, her throat too choked up to continue. "She _beat_ _Vex_, remember? She beat him and Hale and..."

"And she'll get us too unless I hold her off long enough for this too work," Dyson reminded her. "We just need _time_. And this is our best shot at it." The door shook and cracked as a sword jabbed through it and then retreated. "_Go_."

Kenzi grasped and squeezed Dyson's arm before turning and sprinting through a door to join the Nain Rouge while Dyson turned and got into a ready position. The door shook a few more times before it flew open and Bo stepped in. Dyson didn't hesitate as he charged forward, allowing the other Fae to deal with the backup that Bo had brought as well.

In a back room of the bar, Kenzi bit her lip when she heard a wolf howl and the sound of combat but she forced herself to move forward to the already prepared circle and ingredients that she had slaved over slowly under the Nain Rouge's guidance. It looked rather like the circles for Agallamh that Bo had used to bring peace during La Shoshain ages ago with one middle larger circle in between two smaller circles. "Right, okay," Kenzi muttered quickly. "So let's activate this thing? To stop any of this from happening."

"Stand where you're supposed to and begin the chant," the Nain Rouge ordered, taking the band from Kenzi and moving to stand in one of the small circles.

Kenzi scowled at being ordered around but moved to other the circle which the Nain Rouge had pointed her too when they had prepared for the moment. Once they were both in place, the lines of the markings on the floor began to glow a soft white. "When I go back—"

The person whom Kenzi was starting to think was the most annoying little kid in all existence raised an eyebrow at her. "You're making one wrong assumption though: you're not going back."

Kenzi froze and then actually growled. "You _told me_ that we could turn back time. We have risked everything and now this is our _last chance_. And now you're telling me I'm not going to go back?!"

The Nain Rouge held up a hand to stop Kenzi from approaching her, reminding her not to leave her circle, but it did nothing to stop the seething anger that was directed at her. "One who lives can't go back. There is a reason so many thought this plan was impossible."

"I thought we're turning back time, not summoning a ghost," Kenzi snapped.

"Oh, we are certainly turning back time," the Nain Rouge said, rolling her eyes. Kenzi wondered if killing the other girl would ruin what they were planning and decided it probably would. Outside in the bar, there was several crashing sounds and a scream of pain.

"Okay, let's get on with it!" Kenzi demanded, spurred on by fear. She said the first few lines of the chant and then stopped when the middle circle shimmered. "Oh shit," Kenzi whimpered. "Lauren?"

"Kenzi? What-?"

"You'll understand soon," the Nain Rouge said quickly waving Lauren to stand in front of her. "We need you to fix things." The girl snapped open the manacle and then moved it over Lauren's semi-transparent wrist.

"Lauren," Kenzi called out urgently. "We're sending you back in time. To the beginning. It's for Bo. For all of us. You have to stop her from becoming evil. I know you can." Lauren's head turned and their eyes met as Lauren struggled to comprehend what was being thrown at her.

"Time travel," the smart doctor murmured, mind already grappling with the idea. Suddenly, she turned completely, taking her wrist out of the way of the metal band. "What do you need me to do? There must be an event or something we're trying to prevent."

"You need to stop Bo from being evil," Kenzi said simply.

Lauren frowned. "Bo's not..."

Kenzi shook her head and stopped the blonde from continuing. "Remember it started with the Garuda but it got worse after you... died. You have to stop her from that, Lauren." The Nain Rouge turned Lauren back around so she could fit the shackle over her wrist again. "Promise me!" Kenzi urged.

"I-I will."

Kenzi watched as the Nain Rouge leaned forward and whispered something into Lauren's ear before snapping the object closed.

There was a thunder of footsteps outside the room and then Bo threw herself into the room, Dyson hot on her heels. Both were bloody but Dyson looked decidedly worse and he staggered, breathing heavily as Bo took in what was in front of her. Kenzi felt her blood drain from her face as she turned back to the circle but she realized with a start that the glow, Lauren, and the Nain Rouge were gone.

"Kenzi?" Dyson gasped. "Did it-?"

"I don't know," Kenzi whispered, eyes wide.

Bo straightened herself out, assured that apparently whatever Kenzi had been doing had failed and sauntered over to Kenzi. She grabbed her arm, ignoring the yelp of pain when she tugged her former best friend out of the circle. "So much for fixing things, huh?" When Kenzi fought, Bo grabbed her and threw her bodily over her shoulder as if she were nothing more than a light sack of meat and Kenzi pounded uselessly against her back.

"Bo, you don't have to do this," Dyson growled, but the fight had gone out of him now that their attempt to turn back time seemed to be done. Bo kicked him to go in front of her out the door.

"Oh Dyson," Bo whispered with what sounded almost like regret. "I have tolerated you rebels for far too long because I cared for you and Kenzi once. But it has gone on far, far too long." She opened her mouth and both the wolf and the human seized up as the succubus queen began sucking up their chi. The last thing Kenzi saw before she darkness overwhelmed her was the circle once again glowing and Lauren staring out at the scene with dismay.

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A/N: Got the next few chapters sketched out but then we'll see...


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I FINISHED SEASON 3. LAUREN!? Where is she—she saves Dyson from Isaac and then vanishes? *incomprehensible muttering* How am I going to survive Season 4?

Anyways, thanks so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows everyone. You're all awesome. You guys asked some good questions too and most will be answered within the next few chapters but some answers will take a bit longer to unearth. Now onto the story:

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Past Imperfect Chapter 1

Lauren gasped as she sat up and looked around wildly. She blinked several times as she tried to focus on her surroundings but when they didn't sharpen into focus she realized that there was something wrong. She was in the Dal but it was empty and the reason her vision of it wasn't clear was because of a strange greenish haze around it. "This isn't the past," the blonde muttered to herself. "What happened?"

For a moment, she wished desperately that whatever was happening was just a dream and that she'd wake up having just been knocked unconscious from the attack. _But that's a lie isn't it?_ She thought to herself. _I saw what Bo became. I saw Kenzi and it turns out I... died..._ Lauren shook herself and realized that she was sitting slumped against the bar. Standing up, she moved absently to push a stool away from herself. In doing so, she saw the only clear thing in the room: the iron shackle. Even her own skin seemed fuzzy and slightly green in the strange light but the metal was crisp and its form clear.

Lauren drew her hand back in front of her face to stare at it. The longer she did, the less fuzzy it seemed to get. "Something must have gone wrong," Lauren muttered feeling absurdly calm about the entire situation. She felt that she was probably still in shock from opening her eyes in the middle of a glowing magical circle to be sent back in time but she allowed herself to compartmentalize and focus on figuring out what had happened and what was happening to her. However, she didn't get to continue to watch the process of her form becoming clearer as she heard voices fade in almost like she herself was. It came from her right and she turned, eyes wide. A faded Bo and Nain Rouge were standing there, talking. "Bo!" Lauren gasped, stepping towards them. It was like they couldn't hear her and Lauren watched as they slowly also gained corporeality.

Bo suddenly gave a strangled gasp and Lauren wrenched back out of her thoughts to see the Nain Rouge grasping her wrist while Bo tensed and stared into space with wide eyes. Lauren watched her start to collapse and tried calling out to them again, running forward as if to catch Bo but even though she looked more solid and could hear them, they still couldn't seem to hear her and Bo fell unimpeded to the floor. Lauren shivered and immediately stepped back, feeling very strange about having a person go through her.

Bo sat up again quickly though, eyes wide. "Now you see your fate," the Nain Rouge said simply. Lauren stopped herself from calling again as she listened, trying to gather information on what was happening. _Did this happen back then?_ She thought frantically, trying to remember if Bo had ever mentioned the Nain Rouge giving her some sort of mysterious vision.

As Bo demanded to be put back into her body, Lauren felt her eyes narrow. _Back in her body... _Something niggled at her about the familiarity of the moment but then Bo was storming out of one of the doors and the Nain Rouge sighed. "This is going to get messy," the kid muttered.

"Wait, I think I know-" Lauren stopped when the Nain Rouge actually jumped and looked directly at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"What do you mean? You brought me here!" Lauren shook her head, relieved that she finally could be seen. "Where am I? When am I?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about," the other girl said, sounding confused and slightly dubious. "But you are in Limbo and I suppose you are stuck here unless you get out." She shrugged carelessly and Lauren stared at her in outrage at how apathetic she was about the situation. "I was only here to talk to Ysabeau... there's something strange about you though..." The Nain Rouge scrutinized Lauren but then shook her head. "There are more important things to observe at the moment. Good luck in getting back to your own body."

"Wait!" Lauren's cry was unheeded as the girl vanished from the fake Dal. Almost immediately after, the building began to shift.

When Lauren got her bearings, she stared for several seconds. There in front of her... was _herself_. Her other self was smiling as she talked to eagerly to a motherly, grey-haired woman in an apron. The scene was one that Lauren immediately recognized: a cozy kitchen in which she had learned her aunt Edna's cheesecake recipe...

"But I was supposed to go back to the beginning!" Lauren exclaimed. Unlike her first attempt with Bo and the Nain Rouge, both the other Lauren and Edna heard her.

"Lauren?" Edna asked in surprise before she gasped and vanished out of existence, leaving the two Lauren's to face each other.

"Who are you?" the past Lauren asked curiously. She didn't sound afraid or wary at all and the future Lauren felt herself stare wonderingly at a version of herself who was younger and less jaded. This was her when she was just Lauren Lewis and not Karen Beattie become Lauren Lewis become nameless human to the Fae become a tool for Isaac. This was her who still saw and believed that Bo could love her and not a person capable of hurting people like Kenzi and Dyson.

Lauren opened her mouth and hesitated. "I'm you," she whispered. The past Lauren's eyebrows shot up in surprise but she didn't say anything as Lauren continued, voice gaining strength. "I'm from the future. To fix things."

Her former self started to look worried. "What happened? Is Bo okay?"

Lauren let out a hollow laugh and shook her head. "She's alive but..."

"Well then, whatever it is, we'll fix it," her other self said firmly. "Whatever it takes. You have the knowledge and knowledge is power after all," she grinned.

Lauren stared at herself for a second before smiling slightly and shaking her head. "It will be hard though. I know we love her, but we need to let her get with Dyson."

"...What!?" The past Lauren suddenly quieted. "...Is it because of us?" She elaborated at Lauren's confusion. "Whatever that happened to Bo—was it our fault?"

"I died," Lauren explained simply. "Bo may have been heading that way herself, but I died and I saw what she became." She paused, eyes glazing over as she remembered how Bo had drained Kenzi and Dyson before her eyes. "She needs someone who can live and survive with her and you know she loves Dyson. If they're together, Dyson will live and she'll have someone who can be with her always."

The past Lauren stared at her, speechless before nodding slowly. "Okay. I understand. Whatever it takes," she repeated. "...Now how does this time travel thing work? Do you take over my body, because we're not exactly in it... Do you merge with me?"

"Oh no, Reynard's in my body!" Lauren realized. "I have no idea," she said as she looked around for glowing doors like the Nain Rouge had shown Bo. "There!" She went to the closest door and turned around to look at her past self. "We can return through this."

"...No."

"What?" Lauren asked in utter confusion.

"You're the one with the memories. You need to go back," the past Lauren explained. "We can't risk both of us going back and then having something happen. Too many variables are at play so we have to... remove... this one." She pointed at herself self-deprecatingly.

"No," Lauren breathed. "That's—it's like killing myself. I'm leaving you here to be stuck in Limbo forever?"

The past Lauren shrugged and smiled again, her eyes bright. "It's for Bo." Then she stepped forward and pushed Lauren through the door.

[Scene Break]

Lauren choked and gasped in air as she felt as if she was being stretched at the seams. Her eyes flew open and she gripped the bar table as she realized that she was sitting on a bar stool and dangerously close to tipping over. "What the-?" Lauren stopped when she realized that her voice was definitely not hers and she reached up tentatively to her face. When she felt the scruff there she felt a hysterical laugh bubble up at the cosmic irony. "I'm in Dyson's body."

"I know, Kenz," someone said from her left. Lauren turned in confusion before her eyes easily caught onto the name tag with "Bo" scrawled on it. "...Can you feel what he feels?" Bo asked, leaning closer. "Is he in love with Ciara?"

Lauren didn't answer, too busy trying to grasp the giant void that had opened up in her heart and stomach at Bo's name. _Oh Dyson..._ She hadn't truly understand how it felt for him to know how much he loved Bo, but at the same time, feel that missing piece so vividly. Looking up again at the bounty hunter's body, Lauren felt her heart leap to her throat as she considered what to say or do. _The truth, I have to tell Bo the truth... But how much of it?_ "I'm not Kenzi, Bo," Lauren finally said. "I'm Lauren."

Bo reared back. "Lauren? You got out of Limbo?"

Before the topic could be derailed, Lauren reached out and gripped Bo's arm firmly. "Dyson loves you Bo," she said those words feeling as if she were choking them out but in truth they flowed almost too easily off her tongue. "You have to fight for him."

Bo looked so confused that Lauren wanted to laugh. "But he doesn't love me anymore. He sacrificed it. And why are you telling me this Lauren?" Bo suddenly looked concerned, and though she wasn't in her original body, Lauren could swear she saw Woods' eyes flash colors. Bo leaned in. "Is something wrong?" she whispered. "Do you need help with... with anything?"

Lauren shook her head. "No, nothing," she said, smiling at how protective Bo was. "Dyson will get his love back, Bo, I promise you. Everything will work out."

There was a click of heels and Bo's voice, Bo's _real _voice spoke. "It really won't."

Everyone stood up to face her. "How'd you get out?" Bo asked. "Where's Trick?"

Lauren meanwhile just stared at Bo, taking in her features and feeling her heart ache and Dyson's own emptiness like a stone in her stomach. This was Bo standing before her. Not completely, but it was Bo unbroken and unmarked by the torturous years. Still, it was eerie when her eyes turned blue and Lauren saw a glimpse of what she would – what she _could_ be – in the future.

"I'll stop you," Lauren said, moving out from behind Bo in Woods' body. She fell into a ready stance as she stared down Bo's body.

Woods smirked and charged, pushing Lauren back several steps. Lauren regained her footing and gave an animalistic growl. "Only Bo controls her body," she snarled before strength seared through her and she began clawing at Woods.

Woods however, was stuffed full of chi and soon had her grabbed by the neck and was choking her as she growled and tried to fight. _Even in Dyson's body I can't do anything_, Lauren thought in despair, trying to breathe.

"Woods," Trick called out as he appeared beside them. The bounty hunter turned and then was knocked out as dust flew into his (Bo's) face. Lauren immediately leapt back and slumped, ignoring Trick and Bo as she covered her face to regain her composure.

"We can fix this," Trick was explaining to Bo as Lauren took in deep breaths and felt her heart return to its normal rhythm.

A door squeaked and Dyson in Kenzi's body walked in with Reynard in tow. "Special delivery," the wolf intoned.

Lauren let out a relieved sigh and followed everyone as they trooped down to Trick's lair and Trick drew the circle and sang a few lines. This time, the rush of switching bodies felt almost comforting and when Lauren opened her eyes next she smiled widely. She was back.

And it felt so _good_. Lauren stood there, grinning foolishly as she realized that it was the first time in years (for her) to be alive and back in her own body. She reached up and felt her face, waggled her hands, ignored the appearance of the iron band that was still wrapped around her wrist, and let out a soft laugh. It was euphoric and terrifying as she realized that she was _here_ in the _past_. She could make a difference.

On the floor, Ciara was brought back from the brink of death with a gasp. "Am I-?"

"You? Yes," Bo affirmed.

Ciara looked relieved as she chuckled, "Well, I was going to say alive... Thank you. I might not know everything there is to know about you, but I'm glad you're you."

"Me too," Lauren said under her breath while Bo echoed her words more loudly.

Woods took his leave with Reynard in tow and soon everyone was back in the main room of the Dal again. Lauren's adrenaline had run out and she slumped before jumping slightly when soft hands steadied her. "Are you okay?" Bo asked carefully.

"Just tired," Lauren breathed, leaning back to enjoy the concern and support before remembering where she was. She moved forward out of Bo's grasp to turn and look at the succubus. She could see questions still floating behind her eyes and shook her head. "I think I need to go home to rest," she said before Bo could speak.

"Do you need help?" Bo asked, repeating her earlier inquiry.

"No, it's fine." Lauren reached out and trailed her hand down Bo's arm, raising goosebumps along her path before she turned and walked out the door. Once she was out of sight, she allowed herself to truly relax, just reveling in the fact that Bo was alive. That she was alive. That...

Suddenly it was difficult for her to breathe as she stood stock still in the middle of the sidewalk outside the Dal. Ciara was alive. And at this point in time, if Ciara was alive... So was Nadia.

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A/N: Next up, Bo is confused, Dyson is distracted, and Kenzi tries to talk things out. Meanwhile, Lauren makes plans and plans and plans. But no plan survives first contact with the enemy does it?


	3. Chapter 3

kyoshiob69: Thanks, glad you liked it. :)

Guest(s): - Though Fae can die just as easily as humans with diseases, etc., remember that in the show it is shown a lot that humans _are_ weaker. In comparison to Dyson, Lauren definitely feels inadequate as he is a lot tougher and more helpful in fights (and healing Bo) than she is. You are right too that Lauren's death has also influenced her to think that way.

- I can see where you're coming from, but there's a reason to why past!Lauren bent so easily. Consider: past!Lauren's life has just been turned upside-down. During this time in season 2, her relationship with Bo seems to have been unofficially ended as Lauren focuses on Nadia. With the news that her older and "wiser" self brings, she chooses the path that she thinks is best: have the "smarter" version of herself make sure Bo is happy with Dyson as well as presumably devote herself to Nadia whom she thinks will also make her happy... because Nadia's the one for her... right? Lauren's not going to fight that hard because she doesn't know what she wants to fight for.

Avarenda: Well, save Bo for one thing. ;) Whether her idea will work or is right is another matter entirely...

Copdoccubus: Aww, thanks. I'm really glad you like the story so far and your support so far has been truly encouraging. :)

zippyfan: Thanks and I hope you enjoy this update then!

79: Yup, Lauren's made quite a sacrifice already and the Nadia issue won't disappear either. Haha, Lauren's definitely going to try but, well, who knows how that's going to turn out. ;)

cheekymadom: I always love Zoie, but from what I've watched so far, you are absolutely right. Thanks!

teriyakiskater: Me too, so I thought, why not?

lazytown2000: Haha, thanks I guess? Anything specific that's confusing?

A/N: Season 4 Lauren is a friggen' badass so far. I approve so much. Now I just want to see more of her in general please yes thank you. Also, kid!Tamsin is cute. Spoiler for this story: Tamsin should appear next chapter... Kinda. Bo needs to stop being lost and just kick ass (with Lauren). Anyways, this chapter drove me nuts. I rewrote a few scenes so many times before I just stuck with what I have here. It also got way longer than I expected because I needed to set up the story. Meh. As always, thanks to everyone for your reviews, follows, and favorites. Hope you enjoy.

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Past Imperfect Chapter 2

It hit Lauren like a sledgehammer when she opened her eyes the next morning. She had barely made it home and cleaned herself up before collapsing on her bed and practically passing out, too shaken by the revelation of Nadia being alive and exhausted by the preceding events to do anything else.

So when Lauren finally woke up rested and had a minute to just take in what happened she allowed herself to look around at her spotless bedroom. When her eyes had finished taking in the familiar view, she tumbled out of bed and exited the room.

Her apartment was just as she had remembered it... almost stunningly so. Objects that Lauren had actually forgotten about were sitting in pristine condition again in their old places, like a vase that Lauren recalled had been broken at one point. Her random scientific tools were scattered around from some project that her past self had probably been working on. Lauren came to a stop by her couches and stared at the floor that now showed no sign of blood or death.

"It's real," she said in awe. "It's absolutely real." She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her mouth. Here she was: Lauren Lewis, human doctor and time traveler extraordinaire. Nadia was alive. Kenzi, Dyson, _Bo._

Her laugh petered out and she set her mouth into a firm line as she remembered what had led her to her current situation in the first place. Oh yes, she was definitely going to be saving Bo. And this time around, no one was going to die either.

But to do that, she would need a plan. Well, first she needed to wash up and eat a nice, healthy breakfast. But then she would plan. With that decided in her mind, Lauren nodded to herself and trotted off, feeling lighter at the prospect that she could finally make a difference.

(-)(-)(-)

"I don't get her," Bo said pouting. She was sitting on the kitchen counter and morosely scooping soggy cereal into her mouth.

"Bobo, you've been saying that since last night," Kenzi sighed, rubbing at her eyes and yawning.

"First she kisses me right next to her comatose girlfriend. Then she brushes me off at the Dal. Next, she crashes into Dyson's body and looks at me like I'm... like I'm special." Kenzi snorted and mouthed "special" with accompanying air quotes. In response, Bo rolled her eyes and pushed her playfully. "I mean, she looked at me like I was... important... like I meant something. But then she tells me that I belong with Dyson? Like really?"

"Bobo, why are you making such a big deal out of it? I mean, everyone (but Ciara) knows about you and D-man and I thought you and the doctor called it quits because of She-Who-Is-In-A-Coma."

"Well, we didn't really talk about it."

"Seriously?"

Bo shrugged sheepishly. "Haven't had the chance?"

"Well you guys really should," Kenzi said. "I mean, even if I think she's a bit of a-" Thankfully Kenzi didn't finish her sentence and waved a hand vaguely. "You and the doc do have something too, just like you and Dyson."

"Yeah, seriously. Was there something in him that I should know about that could cause Lauren to suddenly change like that?"

Kenzi shook her head wildly. "Oh no, Bo. I told you that I am not telling you his feelings. If you really want to know... call him. Or her. Or both of them."

"Oh yeah sure," Bo snarked. "'Hey Dyson are you sure you don't love me anymore? Lauren was acting weird in your body that's all.' Or maybe 'Lauren were you being serious when you were in Dyson's body or was there something in there that suddenly gave you a personality change?'"

"Maybe not quite in those words," Kenzi mused thoughtfully. "Or maybe something happened to Dr. Hotpants in Limbo. Maybe the Nain Rouge did something like what she did to you."

Bo paused and chewed thoughtfully. "Well, if it happened during Limbo that might explain the Dyson thing. But not the kiss-by-the-girlfriend thing." She scowled. "And if it's that annoying little girl's fault that Lauren's acting like this I swear-"

"Yeah, yeah," Kenzi mumbled as she eyed the distance between her and the vodka and considered whether or not she should actually go drinking. It was still morning, but alcohol was good for the soul. Or something like that. Either way, her attempt to get Bo talking had worked entirely too well and alcohol might be needed...

(-)(-)(-)

"Dyson." There was a long drawn out pause as the siren waited for his partner to answer. "Dyson!" He repeated.

The werewolf twitched slightly and turned his eyes towards Hale looking confused. "What?" he growled.

"Seems like a normal human crime to me, but do you smell anything?"

Dyson sniffed, filtering through the various smells that clung around the dead body. There was sweat, dirt, and fainter odors of a few cleaning agents and air freshener. He continued to draw in the air, identifying foods that the victim must have left out of the fridge. He paused when he thought he detected a whiff of another scent of blood that wasn't the crime victim's own stench of blood, but when he continued sniffing it was completely gone.

"Dude, so is it Fae?" Hale asked finally, looking bemused.

Dyson suddenly realized that he had spent a long time just standing there and smelling the air. "Nope. No Fae scents at all," he confirmed.

Hale looked concernedly at him. "You've been pretty out of it. Everything alright?" he asked.

The werewolf shrugged and motioned for Hale to get to work on the crime scene. "I thought I smelled another person's blood but it's completely gone now so it might've been just me. It wasn't Fae either though from what I got of it, so no worries."

"Great, another normal day. A great start to the week which will probably be just as normal." Hale said. He would later curse himself from ever letting those words leave his mouth.

(-)(-)(-)

The asylum was just as dim and grimy as Lauren remembered from the group's attack in the previous timeline. The bare fluorescent lights weren't on though; presumably, it was because the Garuda hadn't set up his lair yet or because he wasn't expecting any visitors. Lauren hoped it was the former because her scouting out the building had been more of a whim rather than a thought-out plan.

When Lauren had called in to her work requesting that she just receive all the case files and work on it at home, Lachlan gave her leave for the next few days. Though slightly surprised, Lauren quickly surmised that he was still smarting over yesterday's nearly successful assassination. However, no matter what the reason he had allowed her the free time, Lauren hadn't been about to look too deeply into it.

She had pulled out paper and pens and got to work, sketching out what she knew would happen in the next few years as best as she was able. Her notes had described the battle against the Garuda and then the psychotic plans of Taft and then sketched out the growing tensions between the Fae that had followed. As she wrote things out, she spoke names and dates, trying to jog her memory for any little fact she could. Then she drew "Bo" in large, bold letters that she underlined. At that point, she had stopped and stared at the name.

The problem with preventing Bo from becoming her future self was that Lauren only knew a few pieces of what had caused such a thing. Lauren knew her death was an important factor of course. It was what her entire plan of pushing Bo and Dyson together was based on: Dyson was a werewolf who could live so much longer than herself both in terms of natural lifespan and in that he was obviously tougher and stronger. He wasn't as fragile and if he survived, Bo wouldn't as easily turn dark. But Lauren knew that Bo losing control had started long before that and she had to figure out those parts too.

Lauren had put that aside as a more long-term goal and then focused herself completely on the Garuda. Taft could wait—he wouldn't approach until months later and Lauren wanted to deal with problems one at a time. She was a scientist: her work must have as little number of variables as possible. She needed to focus on all the external dangers that could kill Bo.

Soon though, Lauren had realized that her very existence was an advantage she could make use of. "I need to know the layout of the Garuda's lair," she had muttered out loud, tapping her pen against her newest sheet of paper. "It's probably laying low and it won't care about a simple human. It hasn't... gotten into Nadia or done anything major except stir up minor troubles in order to feed." She paused as she remembered that the Garuda had been faced in two separate locations. "Well Trick gave us a map of the first one, I'll have to borrow it from him somehow. For now, I should make some plans for if we have to battle the Garuda at the asylum."

Lauren had reached for her laptop and quickly searched up a few things before she sent out an email. The reply had been short and to the point: there were no available blueprints for the asylum.

In the past, Lauren had run from what she had done as Karen. In fact, she would be the first to admit that she still wasn't ready to deal with that. But as Karen she had lots of contacts that could get her what she needed and this Lauren was willing to make use of any resource she could. Bo, and maybe even the world, depended on it.

With that approach defeated, Lauren had decided to go in the building herself. She still remembered where the asylum was and had parked several streets away before doubling around the back of the building so it wouldn't be obvious that she was entering the asylum. As it was late afternoon, most people were too focused on closing up shop and going back to their homes than noticing her.

Armed with a few syringes full of hastily concocted drugs, Lauren walked from room to room, sketching out a map of the area. The general aura of the run-down place seemed to be oppressive and fearful, though Lauren wasn't sure if that was truly the Garuda's doing or just her own flight of fancy. She continued though and as she drew, she realized that luckily it wasn't too large of an area and that it was organized in a clear pattern. She drew out the rest of the area to match that pattern and then jogged through the remaining hallways. The rooms were lined up just as she had predicted. "Sweet," she whispered to herself with a grin.

With her map safely tucked away, Lauren headed towards the entrance of the building when she came face to face with a man in a long coat. His hair was relatively long and was brushed back. What struck Lauren the most about him though was not his features but the slight odor of smoke around him.

_Like fire_...Lauren's eyes widened for a moment before she quickly covered it up. Swallowing, she prayed that she was wrong but a churning feeling in her gut told her otherwise. It was a visceral, instinctual fear that told Lauren that she was staring at something far above her on the food chain.

"I was informed that this was an abandoned facility," the Garuda said icily, his voice rough.

Lauren quickly adopted the first persona she could think of. "Ah, yes," she stuttered, putting on a touch of wide-eyed sheepishness. "I am a representative doctor for a hospital that is looking to expand here. But don't worry," she added, purposefully misunderstanding the Garuda's own presence in the area, "it appears this facility is not what we are looking for."

"Hmm..." The Garuda looked at her carefully but Lauren kept her practiced smile in place. "Well!" He added with fake cheer and stepped aside. "Don't let me get in your way, _doctor_." He reached out as if to shake her hand.

"Of course," Lauren replied with a tight smile. Steeling herself, she reached out to accept the handshake. However, instead of grasping her hand, he wrapped his hand around the iron band still on her wrist. Lauren's smile faltered. The object had slipped her mind entirely and strangely enough, it seemed like it had the same effect on anyone else who took notice of it as no one had commented on it.

The moment the Garuda had touched it he let go. Lauren noticed that he too seemed to have immediately forgotten about the band and was instead distracted by something else. Instead of saying anything, he nodded to her in an obvious dismissal. Trying not to seem as if she were hurrying, she exited the building.

A few minutes later, as Lauren approached her parked car, she felt a hand grab the back of her jacket and pull her back roughly into a deserted alleyway. "You're not just a human are you?" a harsh male voice asked.

Lauren twisted, cursing herself for being caught unawares as she tried to get out of the man's strong grip. He grabbed her left arm and bent it painfully so she stumbled. In order to ease the pain, Lauren turned around and realized immediately that there were two attackers and both were Fae. _Redcaps!_ Lauren realized as her eyes flickered to their namesakes. _At least they're weaponless. But why are they here?_

"It doesn't matter," the second one dismissed. "Let's just kill her. She's the only one wandering around here."

The redcap gripping her arm raised his fist and Lauren opened her mouth. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she warned, suddenly remembering the time period she was in. "I'm a ward of the Light Fae."

"Oh really," the other redcap jeered. "Where's your necklace then?"

Lauren looked down and blanched when she realized she had never put it on in the morning after taking it off absently yesterday. She might not have been part of the Light Fae anymore in the future, but at this moment, she was their slave... and missing her collar. "I don't need this right now," Lauren snapped.

In one quick movement, she stepped the redcap so he was in front of her and wrapped her arm around his waist. Without pausing to think about it, she bent backwards making use of her lower center of gravity to cause him to tip over her shoulder and slam headfirst with a crack onto the ground. Lauren let go and rolled away. When she sprang back up she saw the other redcap blinking furiously and looking around as if confused. "What just-?"

Lauren punched him with all her might and he fell to the ground, groaning. Lauren winced and quickly lowered her stinging fist as she stared down at the redcap. "A trained professional devotes their time practicing moves over and over, creating minute tears or fractures which then heal and become stronger than ever," she informed him. "Be glad that this body isn't at that stage yet or you'd be a lot more broken than you are now." Then she bent down and pointed a syringe at his neck. "Why did you attack me?"

"I-I don't know," he wheezed. "I was just... angry. I don't know what's real and what's a dream..."

Lauren froze. Nadia had said those exact same words to her a lifetime ago. It seemed the Garuda hadn't quite bought her tale and possessed the redcaps to deal with her. Without another word, Lauren pulled out an empty syringe and collected a sample of the redcap's blood as he lay there, too stunned to do anything. Once she finished, she jammed her first syringe in and pushed the plunger. The redcap's eyes rolled up into his head and Lauren stood up, putting away her tools.

Her eyes were glazed over with memories as Lauren got mechanically in her car and drove away. She had planned to just go home but with what had just happened Lauren had another stop first.

(-)(-)(-)

The Dal wasn't at peak capacity but there were enough people hanging around that there was a constant buzz of chatter. It created a rather warm atmosphere that Bo relaxed in as she accepted another shot from Kenzi. They had done a quick case earlier that day involving a troll separated from his parents and since it had been easily fixed and they were done, the two were at the Dal.

Bo inhaled sharply as she felt a familiar aura enter the bar and she put down the cup that she had just lifted to her lips. "Trick, can we talk?" Lauren asked without preamble as she came to a stop right by Bo. Bo finally dared to look at her and noticed that the doctor's eyes were fixed squarely on the bartender.

He looked a bit like a deer in headlights as he lowered the glass he had just taken out. "Of course," he agreed.

"Privately?" Lauren added.

"Lauren, did something happen?" Bo asked. Her words were filled with concern.

Lauren couldn't help but look at the succubus then and though she tried to keep a stern expression, her eyes softened for a split second partly in surprise at the sudden concern and partly because no matter how hard she tried Bo always could soften her walls. "Nothing I couldn't handle," she said truthfully. _Though I don't know whether I can handle whatever the Garuda's planning next..._ she added mentally. "I just need to talk to Trick." Here, Lauren hesitated and then smiled at Bo, trying to reassure her. "Everything's fine."

"Really?" Bo asked pointedly as she reached out and grasped Lauren's hand gently. When she lifted it up, Lauren made a face at the sight of her hand realizing why Bo had seemed so concerned.

"...I'll get some ice for that too," Trick said. "Meet me downstairs in five."

As he ambled off, Lauren reluctantly tried to withdraw her hand from Bo's. "I'll be fine. It's just bruised."

"Just be more careful okay?" Bo gently brushed her lips against Lauren's reddened knuckles and then allowed the blonde's hand to fall back to her side. Lauren stood there blankly, a light blush dusting her cheeks as she tried to figure out how to respond. Bo always had a knack for throwing her plans into disarray through the most innocuous and innocent of moves though Lauren as pretty sure that the kiss had been more than just an innocent move.

Still, her earlier pounding fear that the Garuda had evoked eased while in the presence of the succubus and Lauren couldn't help but smile and shake her head at Bo. "I will. Thank you." Bo looked relieved at the genuine words and grinned goofily as Lauren left.

"You're such a sucker," Kenzi said sagely. Then the petite human threw back another shot of alcohol.

Meanwhile, Lauren made her way down and was met with Trick's concerned gaze. "What is it?" he questioned.

At the reminder of what had caused her to come to the Dal in the first place, Lauren felt the same gripping fear of earlier rise up. She wanted to tell him everything: about the Garuda and about the time travel but she held back. _Limit the variables_, she cautioned herself. But while she wanted to keep her cards close to her chest, she had to also get a clearer understanding of what exactly the Nain Rouge and Kenzi had done to bring her back.

Lauren lifted her hand and pointed directly at the iron band. A startled look appeared on Trick's face as he finally noticed its existence. "I need to know what this is," Lauren said. "I... got it from the Nain Rouge while in Limbo."

"What?!" Trick exclaimed as he reached forward and practically snatched at her wrist. "That's... very strange." He pointed her to a seat which she obediently sat down in and pulled out a pouch and a few tools. "May I?" He gestured at her new accessory.

"Go ahead," Lauren nodded.

Trick brushed a powder onto the band and then tinkered for a minute. It popped open with a clack and Trick nodded. "Aha! I opened it!"

But Lauren didn't hear him as her eyes slipped shut and she collapsed on the chair.

_Lauren, it's ready! I'm going to bring you back!_

* * *

A/N: Ruh roh. What's up with Lauren? Next chapter, we'll finally get some deeper background of what happened in the future... or, uh, what _will_ happen in the future. Or what happened in the future that might happen but that Lauren is trying to prevent. Yeah.

Lauren's not scared of using her resources from the past (a la Karen) or her resources from the future (fighting and other skills). We'll see whether those skills are enough to save Bo though. Also, one of the things that confused the hell out of me during the Garuda finale was how any of the group knew where they were going. They knew they were going to an asylum but how did they know what was inside? Either it was a pretty damn small place that they could keep running into each other or they were just really lucky. This time around Lauren's gonna make sure they're actually gonna get to the Garuda in a strategic manner.

There's a reason redcaps attacked Lauren and not something more obviously connected to the Garuda (aka Berserkers). The Garuda's supposed to be lying low but he obviously doesn't mind stirring up trouble between the Light and the Dark to feed. Coupled with his ability to possess people, he was just possessing random fae.


	4. Chapter 4

Avarenda: You're always so quick on the uptake 8) Future!Bo still exists seeing as Lauren hasn't changed enough to impact the future in a way to stop her.

JCM: I'm glad you like it. Lauren's definitely got plans to change all those things (well, who knows about Lachlan, that bastard ;P) but her changes will obviously have effects themselves so things will get complicated very soon.

Guest: Right! With the past changing, so is the future but the question Lauren's going to face is whether it changes enough.

Guest: Whoops! Thanks for pointing that out. I won't bother going back to change things, but I'll try to keep that in mind when writing about Dyson in the future. 8P

kyoshiob69: Hope you like this update then :)

cheekymadom: I SAW IT. LAUREN SINGING IN FRENCH. I CANNOT. STOP. WATCHING. IT. *Re-watches episode again* Score one for the doctor indeed! THIS EPISODE. ALL MY DOCCUBUS FEELS. Episode 4x7 was amazing. *_*

tiy92: Well, future!Bo just wants Lauren back, she has no idea about the time travel.

Briannix: Glad you likey. :)

osixtytwo: Ooh, now that's a flattering comparison. XD Of course, Lauren's main strength lies in her mind so she sadly won't achieve the physical ass-kicking Agent May dishes out. Lauren definitely knows she died, but there are repercussions to, well, dying, which she's avoiding. When she was summoned, she was more confused about what was happening all around her rather than her own death.

79: You'll see what happens ;) Thanks!

srnmnstr: Yay! I'm glad you like it so far, thanks!

A/N: I need more Lauren singing in French. It's addicting and hot. Well, I always need more Lauren in general but Lauren singing in French... *Ahem* But seriously, what is gonna happen now that Lauren cut the red string when she wasn't supposed to? Sounds bad...

Well, anyways, as always thanks to everyone who reads my stuff and likes it. Now onto the story:

* * *

Past Imperfect Chapter 3

"Hey Lauren," Bo whispered with an adoring smile as eyelids fluttered open, revealing familiar brown eyes that stared at the succubus who was leaning towards her eagerly. Dry lips cracked open as Lauren tried to speak but not a sound escaped, only a ragged wheeze. Bo's eyes remained enraptured with Lauren's features she reached out blindly and took hold of a glass of water on the table nearby.

Lauren's eyes closed as she began to shiver. Bo gently raised her up and lifted the glass to her lips. The blonde greedily gulped it down like a person who had been lost in the desert for days until the glass was empty. However, once her thirst was eased she shivered again as the frigid air of the room she was in began to make itself known by biting through her clothes.

Bo's eyes narrowed but she didn't bother turning around, only lifting a hand off to her side and snapping her fingers. Lauren let out a sigh as the air turned warmer and her eyes opened up again. "Bo? What happened?" she asked, staring concernedly at the blue eyes that glowed back at her.

"You died, Lauren," Bo said solemnly. "But I've brought you back."

Lauren sat up straight and her eyes widened as she looked around, taking in her surroundings for the first time. Her voice failed her as she looked around at what looked like Bo's room in the clubhouse only she could see that the walls were solid rather than collapsing and peeling. There were no windows either and the doorway out of the room led to a dark hallway instead of the open area Lauren was used to.

Noticing where she was looking, Bo explained, "I wanted you to wake up in a familiar place but the Clubhouse was destroyed last year by some rogue fae, so I remodeled a room in my estate."

"Estate?" Lauren asked faintly.

Bo smirked darkly, an expression Lauren didn't like to see at all, but one that looked well practiced. "There are no more Light Fae or Dark Fae," she explained. "I'll explain more for you later, but first..." She scooted towards the bedside table where there was a covered dish that Bo unveiled with a flourish, releasing a cloud of delicious-smelling steam. "You need to eat. It's been years."

"Years?!" Lauren yelped, immediately looking down at herself and ignoring the answering rumble of her stomach. "Then how-?" Her body was not decayed nor completely emaciated though her skin looked paler and she was thinner than she was used to. She was also dressed in a clean set of comfortable clothes and her lab coat.

"Lots of work," Bo pronounced, a dark edge in her voice that made Lauren look up again. The succubus smiled at her, adoration softening her sharp blue eyes. "Eat, and then I'll show you our new domain and I'll explain things."

Lauren finally stopped resisting the call of the food and practically inhaled the warm meal that Bo handed to her. Bo laughed softly at the speed that she consumed the food and Lauren blushed slightly. "It appears several years of hunger needs catch up," she muttered through a mouthful.

Bo's mouth quirked again. "I want to kiss you," she whispered and Lauren froze. An amalgam of emotions rose up within her. There was confusion and no small amount of desire, but Lauren could tell even without looking at the bright blue eyes that this Bo was fundamentally different from the Bo she had known.

This Bo was just as devastatingly beautiful as always, but instead of the brazen honesty and compassion that Lauren could usually see through body language alone, Bo held herself like a languid predator barely held back from ripping her prey to shreds in the most bloody and painful way possible. Even her clothes were different: they were still black and she still wore leather, but now there were metal plates covering much of Bo. She was wearing armor... something protective.

Taking as long as she could, Lauren finally chewed and swallowed her last bite and dabbed delicately at her lips with a napkin. Luckily, she didn't have to respond to Bo's declaration as Bo herself spoke up again, shaking her head. "But no, I won't kiss you... yet." Bo turned a more playful smirk at her that reminded Lauren vividly of date nights that had turned into hungry kisses and whispers and grasping fingers because of that same smile.

Bo continued, "We'll have to have our first kiss in years in a better situation than this. I have some duties that have to be tended to beforehand. The life of a ruler is a busy one, which you'll see by my side." She stood up and held out her hand to Lauren. "Let me show you what you've been missing?"

(-)(-)(-)

"Dr. Lewis? Lauren?" Trick dropped the cuff and reached out to shake Lauren. She didn't stir but her chest rose and fell as she breathed. In fact, if Trick hadn't seen her up and awake just moments earlier, he would've thought she was asleep.

Dropping down, he hastily picked up the dropped band and lifted it up to his eyes. At first glance it seemed like a thick, grey metal bracelet but as Trick turned it over in his hands, the outside shimmered and he could see a faint image of snakes across the surface. Despite that new clue, Trick couldn't think of anything that the cuff could be related to.

The Blood King sighed and glanced back at the unconscious doctor. "This might take a while," he murmured. Hearing a swell of noise from upstairs, he hurried up and looked at a much busier bar than before. He caught Bo's eye and she immediately jolted up from her stool and headed over to where he was standing. Before she could speak he held up a hand to stop her and waved over one of his human helpers and put him to work at the bar serving drinks.

"Something wrong Trickster?" Kenzi asked.

"There might be," Trick replied grimly, waving at the two to follow him down.

Bo caught sight of how Lauren was slumped over almost immediately and immediately stepped towards her. "Lauren?" she whispered.

"She won't reply," Trick explained, causing Bo to snap her head and look at him with worry painted all over her face. "I took this off of her," he lifted the manacle, "and as best as I can tell, she has gone to sleep."

"Oh that thing?" Kenzi said, peeking at it from behind Trick. "I thought she was making some sort of horrible fashion statement but no one mentioned it so I ignored it. "

"She was wearing it?" Bo sounded confused and slightly disappointed in herself. "I never noticed at all earlier..."

"I never noticed it either until she pointed it out," Trick said, shaking his head. "Maybe it only affects Fae, making us unable to notice it."

"Well, whatever it is, we should put it back," Bo put her hands on her hips as she stared Trick down. "It can't be good if taking it off makes Lauren like... this." She waved a hand over Lauren's still body.

"That's the problem. I don't know if it has harmful effects when put on a person so I'd rather we know the dangers before sticking it on her again," Trick explained. "She said she got it from the Nain Rouge-" Bo stiffened at the name "-and I want to know if she mentioned anything about this when you talked to her."

Bo shook her head. "No... No, I..." She was hesitant as she slowly spoke. "There was nothing about Lauren or the bracelet. I only got a... vision." Her eyes became haunted before she shook herself out of it. "Just a vision and the warning about danger," she repeated.

"A vision?" Trick looked thoughtful but seeing Bo's face, he didn't push her over what she saw. "Just remember that you can't put any stock in visions," he said with a shrug. "Whatever you saw could mean something completely different."

"Maybe," Bo said dubiously but she didn't argue.

Kenzi heaved a great sigh. "Things have become so complicated," she complained half-seriously as she reached for the nearest book. "Well let's look in all these ancient books for anything on bracelets that should be taken away by the fashion police."

(-)(-)(-)

"Do you remember how you died?" Bo asked as she walked beside Lauren. Her voice was muted slightly, but sounded as casual and inane as a comment on the weather would normally be.

After exiting the tomb/shrine area, they had walked through brightly lit hallways that contrasted greatly with the darker room they had just left. Paintings and sculptures dotted the sides, boasting wealth and prestige through very famous artists. One might have even called it pretentious how they were displayed so extravagantly. Bo had explained that they had been gifts from various people throughout the years in an attempt to curry her favor. Most of what she received she would have put away into storage to never look at again, but she thought that Lauren would have wanted some of the works up so she had decided to just make use of what she got.

They had walked in silence until that question and Lauren's breath caught in her throat as her mind flashed back to the event that had occurred what was just a few days ago to her conscious mind.

_The little girl was wounded. Lauren needed to stem the bleeding but even as she crouched over her, she could hear more of the attackers flock towards them. "You'll live," she chanted like a spell to the girl. "You'll live you'll live you'll live." A makeshift tourniquet—the best she could do in such a short time._

_The Fae were here. Madness as Lauren dodged blows and stuck one with a syringe and punched another. _It's okay_, she thought to herself. _Bo will save me_. She bent over the girl and thought of Bo, who was probably with Dyson and Tamsin, trying to discuss how to ease the tensions between the Fae. Except, as Lauren saw, they were failing. A blade slid into her stomach and then pulled out. Agony flared and blood rose in her throat like bile. The attackers gave triumphant cries even as she fell to her knees, feeling the pain engulf her like fire that started from her wound and spread to everywhere else._

_Bo arriving wouldn't be enough; the blade had been poisoned. Darkness crept in and Lauren gasped for air. _It's okay_, she repeated to herself. _She has Dyson and Tamsin and Kenzi._ Her head was feeling light and she smiled. In the distance she heard a howl. "LAUREN!" She continued to smile as even the pain faded away._

Lauren let out her breath shakily. "No," she lied. "I don't remember a thing."

"I'll still find every single one of those responsible," Bo growled. "They've managed to hide, but with you back..." She trailed away as they reached a wide set of double doors not unfit for a castle. As if to extend that comparison, when Bo pushed the door open, Lauren came to a stop at the sight of what was unmistakably a throne room.

Banners hung along the walls, underneath windows that filled the large room with light. "Oh my god," Lauren whispered, taking in the room and the grand ornate throne on a raised dais flanked by a smaller but no less rich throne. It looked like a larger version of the Ash's own throne room but a richer area and better lit. Bo guided Lauren to the second one and Lauren sank into it, still staring around. Bo settled into her own throne with an ease that spoke of long practice.

The moment she was ready, the doors opened again and Tamsin walked in. The Valkyrie wore a leather uniform similar to Bo's in that it was made with efficiency and protection in mind. Her wings flared out behind her, unhidden like she usually would have had them. An unfamiliar scar adorned the bridge of her nose and her face was curiously blank until she saw Lauren sitting beside Bo and her eyes flashed with some indecipherable emotion.

"Right on time, Tamsin," Bo called out commandingly. "Line them up."

Wordlessly, Tamsin turned, revealing a line of dirty, starved-looking prisoners that quickly fell into a line in front of the thrones. They shivered as they stared at the foot of the dais, not even daring to look up at Lauren's only half-concealed horror and Bo's scorn.

"What are you doing?" Lauren finally managed to whisper to Bo.

"These are the fae I managed to capture related to your death," Bo whispered back. "Well?" She spoke loudly, referring to the hunched line. "I can promise you a quick and painless death if you admit now who dealt the killing blow to Lauren... Or I can have her confirm herself if she recognizes any of you..."

"No, no I don't," Lauren said, shaking her head. "Bo, I don't recognize any of them from what happened."

"Oh Lauren," Bo's eyes glimmered. "Always so kind. But I know the fae. We are all monsters and they are responsible for something in some way. I may be a monster, but I make sure I hurt the other monsters only."

"That's—" Lauren stopped talking as she swayed, suddenly feeling very dizzy.

"No," Bo whispered hotly, turning to face her completely as she saw what was going on. "The revival was supposed to last longer..." She opened her mouth chi began to flow from all the prisoners' and Tamsin's mouths.

"Bo! You... have to... stop..." Lauren begged as she saw the weakened bodies start to collapse. Even Tamsin was falling to her knees when Bo cut off the flow of blue and began sending an orange stream into Lauren's mouth. Lauren shuddered at the feeling but the dizziness receded and she made to stand up to go towards the prisoners.

Bo reached out a hand and held her down firmly. She reached out and flinched when Lauren moved away slightly. "I'm sorry, Lauren. I couldn't control myself. Forgive me?" Lauren nodded hesitantly but looked back at the fallen bodies. Bo looked over as well. "Tamsin, take them away and back to the dungeons." She paused and threw another regretful glance at Lauren. "Feed them."

Tamsin got back to her feet quickly, concealing the signs (if any) that she had just been drained. "Of course," she answered with a short nod. Lauren wondered if the resignation in her voice was truly there or if she imagined it. But Lauren was a master at concealing feelings and self-control. She saw the sadness and weariness in the Valkyrie that probably no one else did. Lauren didn't speak, unable to. "How about...?" Tamsin pointed at a few prisoners who had fallen and lay deathly still.

Bo snapped her fingers and the doors opened again, revealing two familiar people. "Kenzi! Dyson!" Lauren felt a flash of relief at the sight of them but it quickly fell when she saw utterly devoted gazes staring at Bo without any reaction at all to her own presence. "Bo... did you... did you make them thralls?" she breathed as without even a word of direction on Bo's part, the two collected the dead bodies and started to drag them away.

"It was the only way to ensure their constant loyalty, especially since they led the rebellion against me." The succubus shrugged. "I couldn't let them get away with betraying me again in such a big way."

Lauren remembered how she had opened her eyes to a ritual circle and the sight of Kenzi and the Nain Rouge. "I need to talk to them, Bo. In their right minds."

"They are in their right minds," Bo said. "I just... reminded them of their loyalty to me."

"_Bo_."

There was a pause and Bo sighed. "You'll have to talk to them in a cell. _And_, I'll be standing right outside. If they harm you at all..."

"They would never do that," Lauren said fervently. "...Thank you Bo."

At Lauren's gratitude, Bo's irritation melted and she smiled. "Always for you."

Lauren gave a weak smile back. _That's the problem_.

(-)(-)(-)

Hale cursed his misfortune as he led the Morrigan towards the Ash's throne room in the Light Compound. Dyson had gone on ahead to inform the Ash about the unexpected visitor, leaving Hale to "escort" the lady there and hope she didn't stab him in the back or anything similar.

"My poor dear, relax," she drawled. "You're going to break your spine being that tense."

"I'm just surprised you're here with such short warning," Hale replied. _Or rather, with no warning at all_.

"But you should know why already don't you?" There was an unmistakable smirk in Evony's voice. "After all, the news came directly to you and your wolfy friend's department."

Hale let out a breath as they reached the doors to their destination. "We're here," he said unnecessarily, not responding to her earlier words. The door opened and Hale exchanged glances with Dyson as Evony sauntered into the room.

"My dear Ash, we have _lots_ to talk about," she announced.

Lachlan waved at Dyson to leave and close the door behind him. "I'm sure," he muttered in reply.

Just as the doors snapped shut both Hale and Dyson heard Evony proclaim, "I want your doctor. That blonde human... Lauren was it? She attacked the Dark and I want payment."

"Oh shit," Hale cursed. "What does she want to do with the doc?"

Dyson's nostrils flared. "Actually, wanting her makes sense considering what we found. I smelled her scent at the scene."

"Yeah, but you were the one who said that she wasn't a fighter and that one redcap was beaten by some pro moves. Not to mention, she's a _doctor_. She wouldn't just kill two fae and leave them out like that." Hale let out a sigh. "This is becoming a terrible week."

"We need to look more deeply into the attack," Dyson decided. "Something's up with all this." Hale groaned at the thought of more work but he nodded and the two of them left the Morrigan and the Ash to their discussion inside.

Or rather, their argument.

"No," Lachlan said simply.

"Excuse me?" Evony asked, affronted. "She killed _two_ Dark Fae."

"And I have yet to see any proof to that statement," Lachlan told her unhelpfully. At this point though, even if there was proof, he was willing to wave it aside as he knew he would need the doctor's mental prowess in order to defeat the Garuda. "Not to mention, _I_ have something that assures her loyalty to me. Would you really want that when she's over on your side?"

"Hmm," Evony's eyes narrowed as she realized that Lachlan knew that her reason to go after Lauren was not to punish or kill but to take the doctor for the Dark and herself. "Ah yes, that little Nadia problem." She smiled dangerously at the Naga.

"Of course you know about it," he scowled. "Well, either way you should know then that with her in our grasp, you have no power over Lauren."

"We'll see about that," Evony stood up and turned away. "It seems you are quite desperate to hold onto Dr. Lewis, so you better hold tight. I'm sure the Dark can have some very tempting offers for her." Stalking out, she left a thoughtful Ash in her wake.

(-)(-)(-)

The door to the prison cell clanged shut and Lauren winced as memories of times trapped in the Light Fae's dungeon arose. This time, however, she was not the one stuck inside. Instead, she was with Kenzi and she wasn't a prisoner. Bo had not wanted to have both Kenzi and Dyson in the same room together so Lauren had chosen to speak with her fellow human first.

After a few seconds, it seemed like a switch had flipped in Kenzi's head as her glazed expression vanished. "Lauren!" A moment later her expression fell. "It didn't work?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you about," Lauren said, glancing furtively at the door and lowering her voice just in case. "I woke up in the past, but something happened and now I woke up here... Bo 'revived' me."

"Looking good for a dead person," Kenzi smiled weakly. "Bo always manages to do amazing things." She shook her head. "Anyways, I'm not sure how you're back here. What did you need?"

"I need to know what ritual you did. And what that bracelet is," Lauren breathed urgently. "As I said, I went to the past, but I don't think I've managed to change anything since I'm back in the future and Bo's still..."

Kenzi nodded in understanding of what Lauren was trying to say. "I don't know much. Most of what it was was just following the Nain Rouge's instructions."

"Yeah, well, she hasn't exactly been forthcoming about answers," Lauren muttered. "So you know nothing?" She was crestfallen as the brief hope that had thudded through her veins at the sight of Kenzi and Dyson faltered.

Her fingers were playing with the pocket of her lab coat when Kenzi took hold of her hand and squeezed comfortingly. "You'll find a way, doc. Your brain is a whole lot better with this sort of stuff than mine ever was."

Lauren smiled bashfully at that and settled down onto the cold floor with her. "Well then, can you tell me what happened after... after I died? What happened to Bo?"

Kenzi's gaze darkened at the question. "Lots of stuff. She brought back your body but didn't let anybody do anything with it. But she must've done something to keep your body pretty fixed. Anyways, she just started to be really protective of all of us. But then she started attacking pretty much _any_ fae that approached us and when we realized something was really, really wrong she declared us rebels and took over the Dark and the Light." Kenzi shrugged helplessly. "That's the basics really."

Lauren swallowed as she mulled over what she had learned. "I'll fix this, Kenzi. I really will."

"Oh, I remember something!" Kenzi said suddenly. "There was one thing about the wristband. It's—"

Lauren stiffened and suddenly fell over, causing Kenzi to scramble forward to stop her from colliding with the ground. The black-haired woman immediately noticed that the band she had just been talking about had appeared on the blonde's wrist. "Bo!" Kenzi shouted loudly.

The door flung open and Bo stood there like a demon of death as she took in the collapsed Lauren. "No," she whispered. "Nonono." She scooped up the unconscious human. "I need more chi or something to keep her here. Keep her awake and alive." Her eyes suddenly flashed towards Kenzi. "Back into my thrall _bestie_," she murmured and Kenzi felt her mind fogging over once more. _I hope you'll be okay, Lauren..._

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren gasped awake, coughing. _This is happening way too often_, she groused to herself. _It's not healthy_. Her head throbbed and Lauren could taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. Her eyes snapped open and she saw Bo hovering over her. This Bo however had expressive brown eyes and Lauren immediately recognized that she was in Trick's lair.

"What..." she paused to accept a napkin from Kenzi to wipe at the blood. "Happened?" She quickly realized that the blood was streaming from her nose and used another helpful napkin to hold the offending appendage.

"You went into a kind of sleep," Kenzi explained. "We were trying to find out what your new accessory was and whether it would hurt you when you started bleeding and stuff. Bo just clapped that thing on and then you woke."

"Are you feeling okay?" Trick asked. "We couldn't find anything about that so I'll have to continue keeping an eye out."

"Headache," Lauren muttered, meeting Bo's concerned gaze and touching her hand to let her know she was okay.

"Speaking of keeping an eye out," Trick added as he pulled out some water and aspirin, "I haven't found much about your Nadia situation either. I'm sorry."

At Nadia's name Bo froze and immediately shifted away from Lauren. Lauren shook her head. "That's okay. It'll actually be safer if she stays... the way she is," Lauren said without thinking.

Bo narrowed her gaze at her questioningly. "Why?"

Lauren blanched, mind searching for a plausible excuse but her headache persisted and she soon gave up. She sighed and said simply, "The danger that is coming is a Garuda."

* * *

A/N: What exactly does Trick call Lauren? I know they've talked and seem on friendly terms but I cannot for the life of me find an instance where he addresses her directly with her name.

Also, future!Bo is a lot different from the normal present-day Bo as you can see. There's a reason (or many reasons) for that. Lauren's going to make sure that she's knocking out those reasons so Bo can stay as the awesome succubus we all know and love.

Anyways, a reviewer, Avarenda, raised a good point when asking about the existence of future!Bo when Lauren is changing the past. In this story, the future will always exist, but in an ever-changing state. To explain, there is one thing in the story that won't ever be referenced. At the end of the prologue, Bo actually chi-sucks and kills Dyson and Kenzi. However, as seen in this chapter, they're alive. That's because Lauren has already made some ripples. Even if she is removed from then on out, her actions have made enough of an impact to make Bo not kill Dyson or Kenzi at that point in time. So basically, things did change but no one has noticed.


	5. Chapter 5

79: Yes, Lauren doesn't want Nadia out especially with the danger of the Garuda possession. Evony's interest is going to make things difficult too... heh heh heh...

cheekymadom: Can't wait to get to those final episodes then. :) Must prepare for the feels... *Grabs 10 boxes of tissues* Okay. I AM READY. (MAYBE). ...Yeah, nope. Not ready at all.

Avarenda: Indeed we shall... 8)

guest1: Thanks :)

LostAtTheCarnival: Hm, yeah that makes sense. "Lauren" it is! Thanks!

kyoshiob69: Well then, here's some more. ;)

Guest: I'm not sure what you mean by references?

FrenChi: Heh heh glad you like her.

Guest: It's not really a conversation as Lauren's going to say as little as possible and she definitely won't be revealing anything about her plans.

osixtytwo: Lauren can jump (or at least it seems so) but she will avoid doing so because seeing Evil!Bo isn't exactly fun for her even if, as you say, she is human when Lauren is around (I love how you described that!). Of course, Nadia isn't dead; she's just in a coma but you're right that Lauren will try to limit the variables and keep everyone out like Trick haha.

ZoieFan: All good questions. ;) For number 3, Lauren's not hardened enough to barter Lachlan's life for her freedom, but she's definitely going to do something about that.

Disclaimer: Dropping back to following the canon story a bit as of 2x10.

A/N: I love all of you guys, seriously. Asking all the right questions! I like to try to answer everyone's questions but some are hard to answer without giving anything away so...

I only managed to watch one new episode for the 4th season, but after watching 4x8, have I mentioned that I love the Dyson/Lauren interactions this season? Brotp bonding over Bo is the best. I even got the chance to have those two interacting this chapter...

Anyways, this chapter was pretty annoying to write. I wanted to follow 2x10 and 11 as well as have some important plot stuffs happen, but it turned out to just have 2x10. I had to move some of the plot stuff to happen in the next chapter. Mostly this chapter covers just 2x10 instead. Hopefully it's still enjoyable. :)

* * *

Past Imperfect Chapter 4

After dropping the bombshell on Trick, Bo, and Kenzi, Lauren had hastily thrown up an excuse of getting a vision through the removal of the bracelet. Before any of them could've asked any more questions, she had then cited her headache as an excuse to turn herself in for the evening and returned back to her apartment.

Despite the pulsing pain that remained in her skull, she managed to not crash her car. She stumbled into her apartment and pulled out some pain relievers. They helped very little but when combined with a warm shower, the hurt eased into a lesser ache and Lauren's mind felt a bit clearer.

She checked her phone and saw several missed calls and texts from Bo. After the terrifying vision of what Bo would (_could_, she reminded herself) be, Lauren didn't want to talk to the succubus so she sent a short text back saying she was okay and that she was going to sleep. Without waiting for a response, she put the device on silent and threw it aside.

Sleep honestly seemed like a wonderful idea but the pain kept Lauren uncomfortably awake and her blood buzzed with leftover adrenaline. It was a sort of exhausted alertness that Lauren was quite familiar with and she knew she wouldn't be going to sleep that night. Instead, she pulled out all the plans and notes she had made previously and scanned them before putting them beneath her most recent work. She then pored over the map of the asylum, trying to place people and routes in her head.

Her headache soon flared up again when she focused for too long on the lines and she stopped to rub at her temples with a frustrated sigh. All that she was planning for was an attack on a place that might not even be used and, as she had come to realize, she was making assumptions that Bo would have the exact same team as before when assaulting the base. In truth, she had no idea whether Val would decide to join them again this time around as she had no idea why the Pombero had joined in the first place. There was also the (hopeful) possibility that Ciara would be alive and so join them as well. All those loose ends made her want to scream in frustration but she took a deep breath and then exhaled loudly, clamping down on her emotions.

As Lauren sat there, she realized that with all her future knowledge, she couldn't predict the smaller details especially when it came to factors like other people. She stood up and paced before catching a glimpse of the jacket she had worn earlier to scout out the Garuda's lair. "But..." She mused out loud suddenly. "There are other things I can do..." Her forte: science.

Standing up, she dug into the jacket's pocket and pulled out the sample of the Redcap's blood. It would have remnants of the Garuda's power and she could certainly make something out of that. With that realization, she felt her irritation fade away into a new excitement that she could actually do something.

With a bounce in her step, the doctor went over to her tools and prepared everything for a long night of studying and creating. She had a Garuda to defeat. Maybe she would sleep later...

(-)(-)(-)

The next morning dawned with Lauren nursing a raging headache and absolutely no desire to sleep. With only one sample of blood to test, she had run out despite rationing the amount out so she was at a roadblock. She felt assured enough that she had a few good ideas that might turn into something useful, but with nothing else to do, she resorted to going back to work at the Light Fae compound.

To her surprise, she found herself going automatically to visit Nadia's comatose form with her mind in utter turmoil. It seemed that the long-ingrained habit of spewing out her fears to the silent form had stayed with her even when mentally she had gone on for years without doing so. When she finally stood in the misty white room her mind quieted and she stood there silently, gathering herself in the silence both internal and external.

She reached out and traced the bubble-like casing with a gentle finger. "Hey there, babe," she whispered. Her voice cracked at the end and she stopped to swallow. "It seems I've gotten a second chance with you." She laughed to herself at that and continued, "I've got a second chance for everything it seems."

Nadia obviously stayed silent but as Lauren spoke, her words began to flow out of her faster and faster, tumbling out one after another.

"I'm sorry I won't be saving you now. I can't do it; not when there's so much danger out here right now." Lauren's voice became quieter as her eyes became unfocused, seeing things in her mind's eye. "It might even be better if you just stayed like this, you know? If you wake, what kind of life would I be pushing you into? Either you'll have to learn about the Fae and live a slave or I'll have to break ties with you for good."

When Lauren said those final words, she felt melancholy sort of sadness overtake her. Not at the thought of separating herself from Nadia but at the relief she had felt when she had said so. Long gone were her old feelings of love and joy; she could only remember them as echoes. Nadia was a chapter in her life's book that had passed by and would never regain its first charm. She had moved on.

Or rather, she had gotten herself stuck on another. She always did manage to tie herself spectacularly to someone or something.

Lauren sank down to the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees like a child as she leaned her head against the table edge. If only she could move on from Bo. "It would've been so much easier if you had stayed dead," Lauren said very, very softly. A secret for no one's ears but her own. It was a feeling Lauren hated, but it was no less true. Her eyes watered. "It would've been so much easier if I had stayed dead."

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren got the call several minutes after she had cleaned herself up, grabbed another coffee, and returned to the labs. Vaguely remembering the circumstances from the last timeline, Lauren went to the injured ogre Oscar and took care of his wounds while listening to his explanation of an illegal Fae fighting ring. She recalled that the case had related to some toad or frog Fae but she hadn't really learned much of the details about it that stuck out in her memory.

Last time she had also called in Bo to help. Lauren bit her lip, exasperated that her tactic of just avoiding the succubus was hitting a dead end already and pulled out her phone. Several missed calls and texts flashed back at her. Steeling herself, she called Bo.

"Lauren?" The concern from the brunette was palpable even across the speakers.

Lauren steamrollered into the conversation before Bo could bring anything up in regards to how she had been acting. "I have a case for you. There's a badly beaten Fae here that could use your help," she explained, appealing to Bo's caring nature to override any other concerns. She gave the coordinates.

"I'll be right there," Bo replied. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Bo. See you soon," Lauren ended the call.

Bo arrived several minutes later and when she saw Lauren waiting for her unharmed, she relaxed. She knew Lauren had assured her that she was okay, but she still worried. Lauren waved her towards Oscar and let him explain things over again to the succubus. As he talked, she busied herself with his wounds and tried to ignore the frequent glances Bo threw her way though luckily most of her focus was on Oscar's story.

"A human cockfighting ring?" Bo asked in displeasure, her attention finally completely diverted. She ignored Kenzi's whisper-plea of, "Keep the joke inside." "With a superhuman human pounding on people for fae pleasure and profit? No way. I'm shutting it down pronto," Bo said sternly.

Lauren couldn't help the flash of warmth that ran through her at the statement. _This_ was the Bo she had fallen in love with. This was the old Bo who cared and held up her own morals. She finally looked towards Bo, unable to stop the slight smile on her lips. "I knew you'd care," she murmured before looking back towards Oscar. "Help me with his dislocated arm?"

With Bo's help the arm snapped back into place easily and Oscar was assured that his secret wouldn't get to the Ash.

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren went back to the lab and threw herself into her work but she finished surprisingly quickly though at times she felt her eyelids grow heavy and her mind wander. Without much to do and no desire to look at her past self's long term projects and complete those too, Lauren felt her mind drifting back to Bo. She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she recalled the strength and support Bo had provided despite Lauren's obvious avoidance. It frustrated her a bit how Bo always messed her up so easily.

The doctor felt a wild urge to just visit Dyson. Before she had died, they had been friends somewhat past their old rivalry over Bo. It still had hurt Lauren sometimes to see Bo be so... _happy_ when talking or being with Dyson but Lauren knew he loved the succubus as much as she did. They had understood each other in ways no other people could even hope to share and it had become something of a thing for them to just meet up and talk. At first, it had been drunken ramblings about Bo but their topics became varied and more sober as they became more familiar with each other.

The doctor wanted the wolf shifter's support right now. She needed someone who would understand the myriad of feelings and emotions that came with being in love with Bo. But she was in the past and her Dyson wasn't there.

It was a miracle to have a second chance, but sometimes she missed _her _friends and _her _Bo. Not the dark one but the one from before everything had gone to shit. She wanted everyone back, not _these _versions of them.

Several minutes later, Lauren found herself not at the precinct but at the Dal though not for alcohol. Her morose mood would normally make her want to have something to dampen her thoughts, but as it was still the middle of the day, the doctor couldn't bring herself to even consider drinking. Instead, she was there to talk to Trick about more information on the Garuda, though she highly doubted he would have any more information than what she already had.

That thought fled her mind, however, when she saw Dyson seated on a stool by the bar. Lauren actually came to a stop by the door and had to be jolted forward by an impatient cough from some impatient customer. How coincidental that Dyson would show up when she had wanted his support though this Dyson probably wouldn't be doing much supporting.

Still, she wordlessly slid into the stool beside him and pulled over an empty glass.

"Drinking on the job, doctor?" Dyson asked, his eyes snapping over to her at once. "...What are you doing outside the labs?" His voice was hostile but Lauren had seen the man act like a self-centered tween and strip-dance to Hungry Like the Wolf so she didn't bat an eyelash.

"Lachlan has been surprisingly lenient recently," Lauren murmured. "I assume that is the result of my body's recent assassination attempt."

Dyson watched her stare blankly into the empty glass from the corners of his eyes. "There was an attack against the Dark Fae recently," he said slowly, gauging her reaction. When the doctor didn't even look up he continued, "Two Redcaps, murdered. I caught your scent and the Morrigan herself came over."

It wasn't normal protocol to even hint to a suspect that they were suspected of a crime and Lauren frowned, disguising her jolt of recognition with a blink. "But there's no solid evidence or you'd be arresting me," Lauren raised an eyebrow.

Dyson bared his teeth at her threateningly, feeling his hackles rise at the feeling that Lauren had seen his threat and then written him off as inconsequential. "It seems Lachlan is very fond of keeping you as his property," he bit out. When a flash of hurt crossed the blonde's eyes, the wolf shifter felt an unfamiliar stirring of regret that he tried to squash down. When the blonde didn't continue to banter back, Dyson tried to grab for another subject. "You're looking tired," he pointed out, his tone apologetic.

Lauren didn't reply but started running her finger across the rim of her cup. Just when Dyson was about to just stand up and walk away, she spoke up. "I don't know if you learned this, but I was in your body for a bit," she said as if Dyson's barbed words from before had never been spoken.

Dyson felt his lips curl down before he controlled himself and sighed in resignation. "I know, doctor," he muttered. He could have been okay with Kenzi playing around in his body in truth, but having his former(?) rival know of the emptiness inside was too much for the loner. It hurt even more when after she had left, he had felt a remnant of warmth in his chest. It was love, passion, and he had felt it for a moment once more before it had faded away again into the void.

"Then I want you to know I'm going to get your love back," Lauren said matter-of-factly.

"Are you here to gloat—what?!" Lauren shushed him and the shifter sunk down even lower on his stool as a few curious stares were thrown their way. "What are you talking about?" he hissed at her, meeting her calm brown eyes in confusion and suspicion.

"Bo loves you," Lauren said simply. "It hurts her when you can't reciprocate."

Dyson stared at her, unable to reply. He was saved from doing so when his phone rang. It was Bo and he answered her absently. He only half-heard what she was saying and if anybody asked him later, he wouldn't even remember what he had replied with; he was too stunned by Lauren's pronouncement.

"I don't have time for this," he shook his head. "Bo has something that may help us with the case and I need to return to the precinct." He stared at her again without making a move to stand up.

Dyson was rapidly coming to the realization that as much as he hated it, Lauren loved Bo as much (if not more) than he had ever did.

He waved at her to follow him and she furrowed her brow in response. "I don't think I should be going with you..."

The detective stared at her. "I don't know where your sudden change is coming from, but you have your kit with you and it might be faster if you do the test there. We need to solve this case. The officers are used to you dropping by sometimes anyways," he said gruffly.

Despite her hesitation, Lauren found herself with Dyson at the precinct. Bo arrived with a bottle and a proud grin that faltered at the sight of the two of them. The succubus looked so confused, Lauren would have laughed at any other time but instead she just accepted the bottle as Dyson and Bo bantered while walking to the office.

Then, the world exploded as the door to the questioning room opened and a piece of Bo's past stormed in, screaming about the murder of her brother.

Lauren knew about Kyle. She knew about Bo's past and how she hadn't known what she was, thus leading to death of several people. She had heard the stories and seen Bo torn up about her actions. However, she had never truly seen the full impact of Bo's actions until she stared at the wrecked sister of the first boy who had died... And Lauren knew clearly that the girl would never receive the resolution she craved because Bo could never be taken in for her past mistakes.

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren received the news that Bo been beaten up with barely a fight at the fighting ring through an out-of-breath Dyson on the phone. The doctor snapped up her medical tools, all ready to help tend the wounds that Lauren remembered from last time. "I'll be at your place by the time you arrive," she promised.

"How about your guards?" Dyson asked distractedly.

For the first time Lauren actually put some thought to Lachlan's sudden leniency as she recalled being locked in her home and having to be requested by Dyson in order to visit Bo the last time. She glanced outside. "I'll tell them you need me for a case," she said before ending the call. Gathering her things, she made her way outside.

Surprisingly enough, after talking to one, they let her go unimpeded. If Lauren had been well-rested she would have felt the prickling suspicion that rose up in her logical brain but she was tired and distracted by her worry for the succubus so she got into her car and drove away.

She was waiting in the room when Dyson came in, practically carrying Bo all by himself. "Just take some of my chi," he growled, his voice laden with frustration.

Lauren immediately headed over to the two as Bo refused. This time, she didn't question why. She probably knew Bo a lot better than the succubus probably knew herself at this point. Lauren swallowed as she remembered the pained words of a future Queen. "_We are all monsters..." _In a flash of insight, the blonde wondered if maybe she could help Bo shake that perception. Surely building confidence would help Bo in the long run.

It would take more than one heartfelt discussion, but Lauren could help establish a foundation... "I got this," she told Dyson as he moved over and offered a rag to her. She would've liked to have him do the talking as part of her Plan Get Bo With Dyson but she doubted having a Fae tell Bo she wasn't a monster for being a Fae would be very helpful.

"Don't take too long," Dyson said softly, his concerned gaze focusing on Bo for a bit longer before turning to Lauren. "Thank you."

Lauren scooted closer to the injured succubus and gave a little sigh as the door closed behind Dyson. "I'm sorry," Bo said as she dabbed at some of the blood on her face.

Lauren looked at her reproachfully as she lifted her own swab to dab at another cut over Bo's eye. "Are you really?" the doctor asked mildly, trying not to antagonize the succubus further.

Bo made a confused face but then hissed as it shifted some of her wounds. "Wh- ow! – what do you mean by that?" She looked uncomfortable. "I mean, I'm sorry you have to deal with all of this. How did Dyson get you away from your guard dogs?"

"The Ash has been... lenient." Lauren's eyes drifted to the side in thought. "I'd rather not look a gift horse in the mouth."

It took a while for her tired mind to realize that Bo had been distracting her from her line of question earlier. "I was there when you-" ran "-saw that lady. Mel. From your past." Lauren drew back a bit to look at the growing frustration on Bo's eyes.

"It seems like everyone knows," she answered caustically.

"Just the people who care for you," Lauren fired back, trying to draw out the currently reticent woman. Last time, Bo had ranted about her circumstances and Lauren had listened. This time, Lauren was hoping to do that and more.

Bo glared, breathing heavily. "It is not just my past," she said fiercely. "It's my present.

"For a long time, I've forgotten what I am to humans: a monster." Lauren quashed her instinctive urge to argue against that claim, just staring at Bo to continue. She did so, her voice and eyes starting to fill with tears. "I _killed_ a boy! And then what? I ran. Away—I ran away. I didn't take responsibility for what I did. And his poor family—" Lauren tried to focus on her words, but a small part of her could only think about the dark triumph of the future Bo who had so casually destroyed others in front of her eyes. "—I never gave them closure."

Lauren couldn't stop herself from speaking any longer. "And look at you!" She burst out. "Bo, you're not a monster. I've seen monsters before and you're not one of them." Her voice was fervent as she stared at Bo, urging her to understand. "It was an accident. A horrible accident. And you've changed—you've learned control. The you that you are now is the one I love-" Lauren froze for a fraction of a second before continuing. "That Dyson loves. That every one of us loves."

Bo's expression was far too knowledgeable and Lauren looked away. The doctor continued to ramble, trying to distract Bo. "He gave up his love for you and I know you love him too. Once he gets his love back-"

"Can we NOT talk about Dyson?" Lauren's mouth clamped shut. Bo's voice sounded sad, "I guess you're waiting for Nadia to come back? You love her?"

"No!" Lauren shut her mouth again, cursing her tiredness and general lack of control. "No," she sighed in a quieter voice. "I owe her a lot since I got her into this mess, but I'm not in love with her anymore." She knew that now. She knew many things now.

A little more than an hour later, after Bo had been patched up, Kenzi would receive a call. "Hello, Kenzi. Once this case is over and done with, what do you say to helping me get Dyson's love back?"

(-)(-)(-)

Things were changing.

The Norn had sensed it at once just a few days ago while sitting in her quaint little room with a magazine in her hand. It was a shift in time that even she could not fully comprehend. Something had changed; something echoed across the timeline as a wave rather than the usual changes that never truly impacted the flow of time.

The leaves of her Sacred Tree rustled. The Norn could not tell even if the changes were for the better or the worse. All she knew was that there was change coming.

The lady smiled wickedly as she lifted her hand to the bark of the tree and patted gently. No matter what was happening there was always those desperate enough to buy a favor. Maybe it was going to be that powerful succubus, so lost and so feared. Now that would be a person with a price worth taking.

Of course, the Norn had no idea when the succubus would arrive. But she could wait. She and her tree had survived many a storm. And she would not have to wait that long.

After all, time passed so differently here...

* * *

A/N: I wasn't really happy with following the canon story of 2x10 here, but this episode was a really big step in Bo accepting who she is. Also, while Lauren has been making ripples, she hasn't gone back far enough to erase the causes of the episodes. For example, the events in this episode had to happen since the fighting ring and Mel's hunting happened for years before Lauren's arrival and none of the blonde's actions have done anything to prevent them from becoming the problem they were.

At many points I'll have to still allow canon events to occur in regards to monsters and cases that the gang will deal with (hopefully they'll happen offscreen rather than following along like this chapter's case). Things have and will change, but like this episode, some events have been in place for far longer than future!Lauren has been changing things.


	6. Chapter 6

Avarenda: It would help wouldn't it? But remember, that kind of knowledge is old news to Lauren and it's probably excusable that she forgets that Bo doesn't know her past yet. Not to mention, it's sometimes way easier to forgive others than to forgive yourself.

srnmnstr: Haha yup. Lauren's going to struggle a bit with just how flexible time can be. Also, I'm really glad you like the Dyson/Lauren bonding. I'm definitely hoping to work more on them too.

kyoshiob69: Read and see. ;) Glad you like!

cheekymadom: Managed to watch 2 more episodes. SO MUCH LAUREN/DYSON BONDING I LOVE IT. So scared to watch the final ones though. *Clutches pillow*

JCM: All I can say with that is though Lauren's death was certainly a breaking point, it wasn't the only contributing factor to what Bo became. Won't say more about Evony or the bracelet but it's good that you're noticing them. ;)

FAW: Thanks! Glad to be part of this... faemily. XD

anna. paige79: Yeah, Lauren's going full steam ahead. Whooo

FrenChi: Heh heh thanks!

A/N: As always, thanks for all your encouraging reviews, etc. After this update I'll be gone for about a week and a half so there will be a longer wait until the next chapter. :) You all can probably tell, but as a forewarning, this chapter starts off with what's happening in the future.

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Past Imperfect Chapter 5

When Bo opened the door to the Norn's little apartment (untouched by any of the struggles occurring in the past several years), there was a touch of hesitance in her that no one had seen in years. She was the Queen who ruled over both Light and Dark; there was no place for hesitance on the throne. Even before then, she had been a loner and either side would have eagerly latched onto any hint of weakness. The succubus allowed that moment of weakness for only a moment before gathering herself up and strolling in, blue eyes taking in the Norn who looked as if a visit from the ruler of all Fae was a normal experience.

"The first time you came, you could not pay the price needed to bring back your loved one," the Norn chuckled. "And it has been said that you were successful even without my help. Now what could you possibly ask for this time?" She laughed as she stood up, cane tapping the floor solidly. "And what could you possibly offer me?"

Bo's previous nervousness was forgotten as she clenched her teeth at the reminder of Lauren. After collapsing beside Kenzi, she couldn't be woken up but it was as if she were asleep instead of before where she had definitely been dead.

"I want information," Bo stated.

"I do not usually deal with such," the Norn mused. "But I may have what you seek... However, you have nothing that I want."

The succubus gritted her teeth. "I will pay what you demanded me before."

The Norn threw her head back and laughed. When she straightened, her mocking smile remained. "Your much vaunted 'humanity'? I remember how you held so dear to it... that tiny little conscience that would tell you to be good and selfless..." She moved closer to Bo, staring directly into the glowing blue eyes that were opened wide in the slightest of fear. "It is no longer payment enough," she hissed. "_There is not enough humanity left in you to suffice_. You accepted yourself as a 'monster.' Why would I want the trace remains of your 'humanity'?"

Bo's eyes widened even more before narrowing into slits. Her Queen mode was in full possession now. "You dare mock me when you know my power? Foolish woman." Chi began to drain from Norn but the old woman stood tall.

"You think you can drain millennia of life energy from me?" She cackled though her eyes darted quickly to her tree before returning to Bo's furious expression. The tree was not noticeably weakening, but little by little, here and there, a couple of leaves were browning or some pieces bark were peeling off the trunk.

Bo closed her mouth slowly as if savoring the endless stream of chi before cutting it off. "A feast," she breathed, a smirk curling her lips. "I may have to... bring you in to the dungeons for your behavior towards your Queen." There was a beat of silence. "Have I mentioned that the girl who made this marvelous... scratch on the tree is currently one of my loyal retainers?"

"What knowledge do you need?" the Norn snapped.

While Bo would've liked to gloat, the premise of her business stopped her.

"I want to know who killed her. Who dealt the final blow?"

The Norn didn't question who Bo was talking about but instead laughed again. Her eyes glinted and it felt as if she were laughing at Bo. "You know how she died do you not? A familiar way I expect. I heard that dying in such a way is far more enjoyable than how others have passed on." Her teeth glinted in the dim light of the room. "After all, you killed the culprits you caught by flaying them alive am I correct?"

Bo felt her patience begin to fray. "A name, you hag," she demanded. "Give me a name."

"Ooh fine," her voice would've sounded teasing if she had been a friend. "She wasn't the one to deal the killing blow, but that old leader of the Dark Fae might put you on the right direction."

_Evony?_ Bo looked thoughtful. She didn't bother saying a word as she whirled and left the room, deep in contemplation. The last Morrigan had vanished, presumably escaping the chaos that Bo had created when she had overthrown the old status quo that divided the Fae. But if she knew the truth, Bo would find her and squeeze every last drop of information from her head.

Back in the room, the Norn patted her tree, cackling to herself.

(-)(-)(-)

With the case of the fighting ring closed, Kenzi and Lauren spent the next couple of days discussing the Norn and what they were planning. Lauren knew that the Norn would not listen to them unless they had something to back them up. Though she knew that Kenzi had successfully returned Dyson's love in the past life, she had never learned how and hoped that having the spunky girl this time would repeat things.

It took Lauren mentioning the Norn's sacred tree that a gleam entered Kenzi's eye and she had suggested bringing a chainsaw. The doctor would rather save that as a last resort, but she couldn't think of any reason that such a threat wouldn't work so she agreed to bring it along.

With their plan in mind, the unlikely duo drove to where Lauren knew the Norn was.

"You alright doc?" Kenzi asked after they had parked, sending a concerned glance at her partner-in-crime. The girl still had a hefty amount of suspicion for the doctor even after their talks together to help Dyson but she was starting to warm up a little. She'd never admit it to anyone, but Lauren could be kind of cool. Maybe. A tiny, tiny little bit.

That warmth had almost been messed up on their second day of meeting up when Bo had come across them sitting in a hidden little corner of a random café. It had almost been too easy for Lauren to distance herself from the succubus when there was no important case to be solved, finally putting into effect her plan of weakening her ties with Bo. She hadn't been rude, but there had been a definite detachment in her cool, polite tone. It didn't help that Bo knew the two were hiding something from her.

Kenzi had been furious at having to keep their plans on regaining Dyson's love a secret, but Lauren had pointed out that they weren't sure if they would succeed and she didn't want to raise Bo's hope unnecessarily. It had taken at least another half an hour of talking before Kenzi let go of her irritation.

Back in the car outside of the Norn's place, Lauren nodded wordlessly in response to Kenzi's question. Despite finally being able to go to sleep, her dreams had been fragmented and confusing, leaving her feeling more exhausted during the day than she normally should have been. That night's dream, she was sure, had even featured the Norn at one point, though she attributed that to her subconscious worry about their plan to get Dyson's love back. "You're sure Bo doesn't know what we're doing?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kenzi flapped a hand. "She's off pretending to be Dyson's fiancée on our new murder case." Lauren tensed but then quickly gave a weak smile at the thought of the two of them together. It was good that Dyson and Bo were interacting, but it didn't lessen the sting in her heart. "Hale's interviewing Clive, this guy who was with me at the scene of the newest murder. Don't ask. Anyways, I would've gone with him but this is important too."

Jerking out of her thoughts when she realized that Kenzi's explanation was finished, Lauren got out of the car. "Let's get this over with," she murmured.

"Hells yes," Kenzi grinned, taking entirely too much joy in grabbing the chainsaw and following Lauren.

The door opened easily and Lauren stepped in, scanning the room quickly before settling her eyes on the Norn.

At first the old woman didn't react before she began shaking in anger and disgust as she approached the blonde. She was unaware of Kenzi until the petit human stepped to the side of Lauren. "How dare you," she rasped looking even more horrified than before. "How dare you two humans soil my dwelling?"

Kenzi shifted, looking ready to just attack the woman and be done with it but Lauren's face and body language stayed calm and steady. "We're here to get Dyson's love back."

"Foolish humans!" the Norn cried. "Incredible. I ought to destroy the two of you. You humans never understand nuance. What in the world could you even possibly think could buy back that wolf shifter's love?"

Impatiently, Lauren took a step forward, drawing herself up to speak when the Norn suddenly quieted her laughter and peered more closely at her.

"Incredible," she said suddenly, this time without a hint of sarcasm as she peered at the now confused doctor. "There is something special with you..." She smiled. "Shall we make a deal then? The wolf's love for what you value most?"

"Can't you give it to us out of the bottom of your heart lady?" Kenzi asked snarkily. "Or don't you have one?"

"Silence!" the Norn barked. "I am not talking to you."

Lauren gritted her teeth so she wouldn't lash out. "What is it that I value most?" she wondered, thinking of her own love for Bo. _Wouldn't it be easy if the Norn could take that away from me..._

"...knowledge," the Norn replied. "There is something in that brain of yours that feels very, very valuable."

Lauren immediately realized what the Norn was referencing to: Her knowledge of the future. All that she knew would happen. What Bo would become. In a fleeting moment, Lauren considered how much easier it would be if she didn't have a clue of what the future had in store for them but it was only a passing thought. There was no way she could sacrifice what she knew. "No deal," she answered calmly, returning her expression to a polite half-smile.

The Norn snarled for a moment. "Then leave. There is nothing I want from you here."

Kenzi's boots clomped around behind and then around Lauren. "Okay. Goggles on, Hotpants." As Lauren pulled them on, the sound of a chainsaw revving up filled the air. Lauren watched as Kenzi stepped towards the Norn who dropped her cane and stepped back fearfully.

"What in Gaia's name are you doing?" she asked weakly.

"Going for nuance," Kenzi replied, starting to cut into the wood of the Sacred Tree over the Norn's horrified protests. As the woman gave a scream of pain, Kenzi added, "I guess my bite is worse than your bark."

"You wouldn't dare," the Norn whispered, eyes flicking from Kenzi's determined expression to Lauren's still pleasantly calm face.

"Yes I would. We're human, remember?" Kenzi said loudly over the chainsaw's noise. "We drive SUV's and we dump raw sewage into pretty lakes. And we will burn this planet to the ground if it means just one more cheeseburger." Lauren smiled a little at that as she stood back, waiting for the Norn to give in as another cut was carved onto the woman's arm.

"Stop!" She cried out. Slowly, furiously, she bit out, "The wolf... may have his love back."

Kenzi turned around to beam at Lauren triumphantly. "You'd be surprised how many of my transactions usually involve power tools," she told her. Lauren returned her wide smile as the Norn got up to lead them to a dusty back room full of various bottles and cobwebs.

Flush on their success, Kenzi was in fine form as she looked around in exaggerated disgust. "This is like an episode of Hoarders," she said as she put the chainsaw down.

Wrinkling her nose at the thick muskiness of the air inside the little room, Lauren nodded. "But it is quite impressive," she noted, nodding her head at the various shelves around the room of Fae "payments." "There are so many different things here... and all of them are the most important pieces of someone out there." Though the shelves was full, the rather small amount that could be seen left Lauren unsurprised when the Norn began dragging one of them to the side showing more shelves that were equally as full.

Unseen, the Norn's smile held a hint of triumph and glee at the reminder of the suffering those who paid her were going through. "Oh yes," she agreed. "Over the centuries Fae have given me their beauty... bravery... goodness..."

Kenzi was starting to look impatient and made as if to interrupt the Norn's stalling search. Lauren's mind was on other matters though and she spoke up, "And Fae powers, am I correct?"

"Yes, yes," the old woman said dismissively. "The glamour of a kitsune, the song of a siren... I have all manners of powers. Why?" She turned to leer at the doctor. "Willing to trade now? Do you desire a Fae's powers to make you equal to the wolf?"

At that insinuation, Kenzi perked up, her eyes widening slightly at the idea that they could get Fae powers but then she shook herself out of it. She knew how the Norn worked: offering something enticing for something the _victim_ wouldn't think they would miss. Lauren was unmoved. "That is a tempting but dishonest offer," she pointed out coolly. "Just having the Fae's power won't do us any good and it won't be a permanent change."

"And we're not here to trade anything of ours," Kenzi said firmly.

The Norn stilled, slightly surprised at how knowledgeable Lauren seemed. "Strange that a simple doctor would know so much about our powers," she muttered suspiciously. "Done a few experiments have we?"

Kenzi's eyes shifted between the two of them. Lauren's stance was absolutely frigid and her arms were crossed. At any time before, Kenzi would have said that the doctor would never present any danger especially against a Fae. Lauren just didn't have a strong presence especially physically. Now though, the self-assured way she held herself sent a touch of wariness down Kenzi's spine. The Norn on the other hand was resigned as she searched through the shelves without an answer from the doctor.

"Both of you will pay dearly for this," the old woman hissed. "I am as old as Time and twice as deadly." At the mention of time, Lauren's eyes narrowed unnoticeably but she didn't say a word. "Ah..." Out of one of the top shelves, the Norn lifted a bottle full of what looked like pink smoke.

When she turned to present it to the two humans, Kenzi rushed forward and snatched it out of her hands. "Oh finally," she whispered, starting to back up.

"Wait-Kenzi-" Lauren stepped forward to stop her from running into one of the side shelves but it was too late.

Glass shattered on the floor and the trio stared for a second at the remains on the floor. The Norn then chuckled as she noticed that some had gotten on the humans. "And with that," she rasped, "you both get a little extra in addition to your... request."

Kenzi exchanged concerned glances with Lauren. "Next time I get extra, they had better be large fries."

(-)(-)(-)

The bottle of Dyson's love felt like a burning weight in Kenzi's pocket as she sat with Bo in the Dal, ready to celebrate her best friend's success in bringing down the murderer Lita, who was some snake Fae called a Mama Wata. (Kenzi had been tickled pink by the name.) Kenzi was feeling very good about her day and her grin seemed permanently etched onto her face, something Bo noted.

The only dampener on her joy was the fact that she had to keep Dyson's love a secret until she could return it to him and have him tell Bo the truth. Lauren had also sworn her to secrecy about the fact that both of them had worked together to get Dyson's love though Kenzi had no idea why. Luckily, Kenzi managed to evade Bo's suspicion when she saw Ciara walk into the bar.

"Danger. Ciara. One o'clock," she whispered, causing Bo to turn around. "Do you wanna fake food poisoning? I'm gonna go with chicken wings."

"You know what?" Bo interrupted. "I'm kind of starting like her."

Kenzi's eyebrows shot up. "Okay. You need to get laid." Immediately she remembered the bottle by her side and she grinned. She was planning on going to Dyson later on that day to deliver the love as she couldn't return the love to Dyson at work and she wanted to see what would happen when he got his love back.

"Ha ha ha," Bo replied dryly. As if she were reading her best friend's mind she said, "Not by Dyson. Dyson and I are done. Like, done done." Kenzi suddenly felt her triumph turn to lead in her stomach as she stared nervously at Bo. "We are so done," Bo continued, unaware of Kenzi's furrowed brows and worried thoughts. "BUT, he obviously has great taste in women. And- And Ciara's... She's... smart and-and funny. And she's ballsy."

_I thought all I would have to do is return Dyson's love but it seems like Bobo..._ Kenzi shook herself and pasted on a sarcastic smile. "Oh my god! Why don't we just blow up an air mattress and invite her to move in! Lauren'll love that too." The last part she said quietly but Bo inconveniently overheard her and peered at her over her bottle of beer.

"Speaking of Lauren... how is she?" Bo asked hesitantly, obviously still wary due to the cold reception she had received from last time.

Kenzi put her hands in her pocket and rubbed her fingers against the glass, wondering what to say. "She's good," Kenzi answered, though she couldn't help the uncertainty that seeped into her words. Lauren had changed and she had no idea whether the change had been good or not.

"Who's good?" Ciara asked as she came up to their table with a friendly smile. Bo couldn't help but frown as her interrogation of Kenzi about the doctor was cut off before it could really begin.

"Lauren. Er, Doctor Lewis," Kenzi answered. As Ciara hadn't had much contact with the blonde human she just smiled and nodded in acceptance.

Kenzi was saved from any more questions when Bo began chatting with Ciara and then after that most thoughts about Lauren were put on the backburner when they realized that Lita hadn't been the killer after all.

(-)(-)(-)

Worry was coursing through Lauren as she entered the Ash's room at his summons. It didn't show in either her face or stance though and she stepped up the bottom of the dais without pausing. She looked up to him but any superiority Lachlan could have gained from the difference in height seemed useless in her calculating stare. The necklace she wore itched and she felt the strong urge to just wrench it off and fling it at the Naga's face. She clenched her fist and carefully shelved away her emotions once more. "Is there something you needed?" she asked with only the barest hint of politeness.

Lachlan looked up from the report sitting on his desk. "Your autopsy mentions that there are at least three deaths by electrocution." Lauren paused before nodding, recalling the case in question about the fae called Peri. "It doesn't make sense though," he muttered, looking at the doctor.

His eyes looked as though they were challenging her to come up with an answer. "It probably has to do with the approaching danger. Our common enemy," Lauren said bluntly but she skirted around directly naming the Garuda, testing how far Lachlan was willing to go. Lachlan didn't try far as he only cocked his head at her in question. In response, Lauren sighed, growing tired of his continuing feigned ignorance. "The one you are hunting. The Garuda."

Lachlan's mouth dropped before he adopted an impressed look. "So you know?"

"Yes," Lauren stated, her eyes meeting his. "And I want you to know now that I will do everything in my power to help you defeat the Garuda. After that though, I intend to make myself unaligned with the light. I am no longer a slave."

Lachlan couldn't help but narrow his eyes at her words. Lauren had not spoken challengingly; in fact, her tone could almost have been described as mild, though firm. However, the Naga recalled the Morrigan's earlier threat against Lauren and Nadia and he made a note to check on whether the Dark Fae leader had gotten her hands on the comatose human. "And how about your precious project?" He asked her.

Lauren hesitated and then decided to tell Lachlan. She knew he had not known the truth in the previous timeline and she felt certain that even if he knew now he wouldn't do a thing about it. "I know that she was cursed by an African shaman on the order of the former Ash," Lauren told him. "His journals should say so. I will free her after the Garuda has been defeated."

At the news that Nadia was still in his control, Lachlan relaxed a tad. If the Dark had gotten their hands on Lauren's brilliant mind... "If you help defeat the Garuda I may just free you myself," Lachlan told her.

Surprise disturbed Lauren's mask of calm before she allowed a cynical smile. "We shall see." She turned to leave but then she stopped. "Oh, and Lachlan?" She didn't refer to him by his respectful title. "As a warning: do not try to take Nadia from me after the Garuda to keep me further tied."

(-)(-)(-)

For all that he felt no passion, Dyson still felt a certain fondness when he was with Ciara. The fairy warrior was kind and beautiful and they shared a history that spanned far longer than the months he had had with Bo. What he had with her was love... of a sort even if it was different from the burn that Bo had inspired in him before. To him, Ciara was a comforting warmth.

So when she asked him if he would love her back he ignored the niggling feeling at the back of his head telling him_, no no, this is wrong you're leading her on_, he promised to give everything he could. It was the truth, technically.

Before their kiss could get more heated, his wolf senses heard the scuffle of footsteps and low voices outside his door. He withdrew from Ciara with an apologetic frown and lifted a finger to his lips as he moved to the door.

"C'mon, go in with me. You helped after all." Dyson looked confused. It was Kenzi's voice. He opened the door to reveal a flustered looking Lauren and Kenzi. The latter immediately brightened when she saw him. "Hey D-man! We got a treat for you." Dyson stepped aside to allow the hyper girl to bounce in and locked gazes with Lauren.

Her smile was at first as triumphant as Kenzi's before he saw it shift to become more resigned. It was a strange combination of moods to be sure and Dyson wondered as to what could cause the doctor to look so conflicted. Behind him, Kenzi's happiness was suddenly tempered as she caught sight of Ciara.

Only Dyson's advanced hearing allowed him to hear Lauren's whispered, "Oh no" when she also saw the fairy. "Kenzi!" She raised her voice. "We should do this late-"

But it was too late. Dyson and Ciara both had seen the flask that Kenzi had taken out while walking into the room. Ciara might not have known what it was but Dyson recognized it at once. "That's not possible," he whispered through suddenly dry lips.

"What is that, Dyson?" Ciara asked, taking in Lauren's horrified and guilty expression, Dyson's dawning comprehension, and Kenzi's sheepishness. "My love?" she prompted.

At that term of endearment, both humans turned to stare at Dyson. Kenzi's was confused and disappointed but Lauren's accusing glare hit him harder. "You didn't TELL her?!" Lauren seemed almost unreasonably angry. For Lauren though, it grew from the fact that she could see the hope and care in Ciara's eyes. It reminded the human all too well of love and hope and being betrayed and she was angry that Dyson would do so to Ciara when he knew that he couldn't love her back.

The last time around, Lauren had been too wrapped up in her problems to really notice what had been going on between Ciara and Dyson. Back then, she never understood what it felt like to see a loved one love others more but this time she knew and she felt her protective instinct flare up. Her mixed emotions of sympathy and anger also included guilt at the fact that what she had done would cause the fairy to probably lose Dyson. With his love back, he would go back to Bo.

"What didn't you tell me?" Ciara asked, now looking worriedly at Dyson. "What's going on Dyson?"

"Months ago I went to see a Norn," he began. "I made a deal with her. To save Bo's life."

"What did she take?" Ciara questioned, an uneasy feeling growing in her heart.

"I offered her my wolf," Dyson admitted. "She took my love instead."

"No," Ciara refuted, disbelief etched on every line of her body and voice. "No-I-" She had _just_ confessed to him. Just minutes ago her life had been looking up again when Dyson had _promised _her to love to the best of his ability. But when he had made that promise, he couldn't have loved her. It hurt to breathe and she tried not to let her voice tremble. "You shouldn't have made that promise. You should have told me right from the start," she forced out past the lump that now resided in her throat. "You're not the man I thought you were."

The fairy made to leave the room but Dyson reached out to hold her. "Ciara please," he pleaded.

"Don't. Just... don't," she breathed, pushing his arm aside and stepping past Lauren.

The room became deathly still when the door slammed shut and Lauren's eyes moved from Kenzi to Dyson. Kenzi was looking worriedly at the wolf shifter while Dyson was staring at the floor. "I'll go after her," Lauren exhaled. "Kenzi... give Dyson his love—_that you got_ _back_." She left practically at a run.

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not when she found the fairy sitting in her car. Considering the obvious expensiveness of the sleek car, Lauren wouldn't have managed a car chase but as the doctor knocked hesitantly on the glass, she realized she didn't have a clue of what she should say.

To her surprise, Ciara actually unlocked the car, allowing her to open the door and slide into the passenger seat. They sat in silence. Ciara's expression was stony as she stared blankly out of the windshield. She didn't cry and Lauren briefly wondered if it would have been better if she had let the fairy be alone to let loose. _This is what happens when you change things_, she chastised herself mentally. It was too late to back away though so Lauren let out a breath, breaking the stillness in the car.

"I'm sorry," she told the fairy.

"Why?" Ciara's expression softened into confusion. "You're not the one that lied to me."

"Because I'm the one that—I helped get Dyson's love back," Lauren explained. "I didn't think about how that would affect you."

Ciara let out a short bark of laughter. "I'm not angry that he got his love back," she said shaking her head slightly. "I..." her voice broke. "I'm angry that he hid that from me and promised to love me when _he couldn't_." Neither woman mentioned the tears that were now falling onto her lap and hands. "He couldn't give up his wolf for his best friend that he knew for centuries but he could for a woman he knew for months," she shook her head in disbelief.

Her tears were silent and her voice barely wavered as she continued to speak, pouring out the hurt and betrayal to the silent but listening Lauren. "He knew the Norn took his love but he continued to lead me on..." At that point, Ciara's voice trailed away and she started to wipe angrily at her cheeks. "And after doing so much for her, he should know that he is only capable of loving Bo. Not me."

At that, Lauren gave a self-deprecating smile and quipped, "Well, it is quite hard not to fall in love with Bo."

Ciara's eyes were red and puffy and full of the hurt she felt but she still managed to convey a certain sense of compassion as she looked at her fellow blonde. "And yet you still got Dyson's love back," she murmured.

The doctor's only response was a brief shrug. "He still cares for you even if he loves Bo," Lauren answered, redirecting the conversation.

"That might just make it hurt worse," Ciara said with a wry smile.

Lauren made a noise of understanding. "Knowing that they care for you but love someone else more right?"

"You understand," Ciara noted with a short laugh. "Gods." She leaned her forehead against the steering wheel. "Was I a fool?" she wondered softly.

"No," Lauren refuted. At Ciara's disbelieving silence she added, "Well if you were, then I am one too." She thought of Bo and then shook her head. "I have some good bottles that we can drink back at my place," she offered. "I'm sure we can test out the claim that alcohol solves everything."

Ciara drove the two of them to Lauren's place with a chuckle and a nod. Before they left the car though, Ciara reached out and lightly gripped Lauren's arm, stopping her from leaving. "Lauren, I know you think you're guilty for what happened with Dyson and I hope you realize that returning his love has nothing to do with it." The fairy sighed at the doubt in Lauren's eyes. "And even if you were guilty in part, I forgive you."

Lauren reached up and squeezed Ciara's hand with one of her own. "Okay," she said simply before opening the door on her side and sliding out. Then she stuck her head back in and gave Ciara a small but genuine smile. "Now I say we drink until we forget today."

"Well I second that notion," the fairy replied.

* * *

A/N: Ciara is so fucking nice and sweet. I cry every time I re-watch her scenes and remember her future. Ugh. Anyways, Bo and Lauren are still not going to have much contact. In fact, these two aren't going to interact much for several more chapters because Lauren's an idiot (albeit a dorky, cute, and amazing idiot) who thinks that Bo's better off without her. Pshh. Not to mention our doctor has so many things to work on. It's gonna take her a while to get it through her head that she's stuck with Bo.

Up next: Evony stirs up trouble in both the present and the future. And what's up with future!Bo? In the present, Bo tries to help, Dyson is conflicted, and Lauren bonds with Ciara some more. I am told I am not allowed to ship the last two. Darn.


	7. Chapter 7

anna. paige79: Thanks! ;P Yup, the "extra" that got on the humans will be troublesome of course. Dyson's love is now out of course, but the news isn't known by everyone yet... 8D Glad you liked Lauren standing up to him. I'm trying to show that this Lauren isn't gonna be a slave.

Mpackett: Well, it's hard to not portray them well together when both of them are so awesome. ;) Thanks, I'm happy you like this!

rosylyn: Right? The idea just snuck up on me.

musicpro21: Haha! Nooo don't encourage me. ;D

doudoulty: Maaayyybbeee. ;)

thereader24: Definitely xD I'm glad you like this!

keena. neal2: Awesome, I'm glad you're enjoying this. Hope you like what's coming. :)

kyoshiob69: Haha, I'm relieved you're willing to wait for BoLo. Have no fear: it'll be coming!

LostAtTheCarnival: All aboard a new crackship! Ciara helping plan the battle though... *slaps forehead* I can't believe I missed that. Good idea!

Avarenda: Oh yeessss. I definitely shall. Let this 'bromance' commence!

teriyakiskater: Haha, I shall join you on the ship but the lack of fics for them will have to continue... Anyways, whew! I'm glad I'm managing to surprise people with how the story is going rather than being too predictable ;)

srnmnstr: Aww thanks! I love that I'm managing to keep your interest. Muahaha I can't promise anything but Ciara is gonna be important... *smirks*

lazyseawater: Slowly, but surely BoLo is coming, don't worry. :)

FrenChi: Yay! Hope you enjoy this then.

JCM: Lauren's been focusing on the Bo/Dyson issue but she will start working more closely with Lachlan next chapter. XD Thanks so much! I sometimes worry about the character dynamics so it's encouraging to know you like them.

s. r. 7: (Sorry for spacing out your name :P) LOL yes! Lauren's just doing her best... Glad you like how everything's going!

Andrea316: You and a few others it seems. Maybe I should put in a little jealousy... (It's fine really! I appreciate your review)

MaryPeace: Ooh yes. I agree on every single count.

cheekymadom: Yes, thank you. More tissues please... More... tissues... *Drowning in tears* KEEENNNZZZIIIII AND HALLLEEEEE. (Thanks for liking my writing)

silent lucidity: Don't tempt me! I don't want to split my loyalty from doccubus. ;)

osixtytwo: Hnnggg thanks so much for such a long review. You made my day when I read it and this chapter is my longest one yet so, hopefully it's enough! ;) About the "kitsune spill"... well, no spoilers, but just notice I never did say what dropped on the Lauren and Kenzi. It could still be the same thing. It could actually have been multiple things. It could be a different thing. Muahaha. At any rate, enjoy!

A/N: Sorry for the wait! I finally got back to my computer a few days ago and spent that time churning out this chapter as well as relaxing. It feels like it's been forever since I've written so apologies for any inconsistencies in mood.

Guys, your reviews are all awesome. Love you all *wipes tear*. There was so much response to my comment on Ciara/Lauren haha but I think I should probably make sure to establish that this is definitely doccubus endgame (unless I hit my head or something and get a personality change but that's highly unlikely so yeah.) Each comment made me smile and though I'd like to reply to you all, I left a few of the more recent ones off. Sorry guys. :) Just know that there's definitely going to be a friendship for Ciara/Lauren.

I'm also kind of conflicted because while I'm squealing over your reviews, I'm also sobbing over finally being caught up on all the Lost Girl episodes. Gah. KEEENNNZZZIIIIIIII AND HALLLEEEE NUUUUUU.

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Past Imperfect Chapter 6

There was something tickling her cheeks and nose. Ciara slapped a hand onto her face and brushed off the offending hair. Her expression of distaste deepened when she moved her mouth, testing to see if the taste in her mouth came from actual, literal cotton being stuffed there or not.

There was no cotton in her mouth.

With that welcome knowledge, Ciara opened her eyes. The unfamiliar surroundings disoriented her for a moment before she recalled the welcome and plentiful drinks she had downed with Lauren the previous night. Speaking of which, there was something peculiarly warm on one side...

Slowly, Ciara tilted her head to her left. Despite the fact that Ciara had been pretty certain nothing untoward had occurred last night (things were hazy, but she remembered that the most the two had done was drink and talk), she felt a vague relief at seeing Lauren's fully clothed form sleeping with her back to Ciara.

Letting the doctor sleep, Ciara inched off the bed and padded out the door, in search of water and breakfast. She stopped when her foot hit something hard and sent it clanking across the floor. Thankfully, her headache hangover was minimal as Lauren had thoughtfully kept them relatively hydrated at the beginning of their binge. Looking down, Ciara saw some sort of bracelet. _Oh, right_, Ciara thought, recalling a vague memory of Lauren pulling it off, muttering something about checking something and telling her to put it back on if she took too long. Took too long to what, Ciara had no idea, and she just chalked Lauren's rambling to the wine as she picked up the bracelet and put it to the side.

Ciara continued on her way down to the kitchen. The doctor's things (apart from her lab area) were clean and organized so Ciara found what she needed and decided to cook some breakfast for the two of them as thanks for what the doctor had done for her. The billionaire also made a mental note to pay back the doctor with something more suitable as she collected ingredients. Her thoughts inevitably started to turn back to the reason she had stayed over for the night and she sighed morosely.

Suddenly the sound of frantic pounding echoed through the room and Ciara nearly dropped the egg she was holding in her hand. Rapidly putting it down, she hurried to the door and yanked it open to see a dark-skinned woman with short, tightly-curled hair. "Dr. Lewis? You—" She stopped and realized that the blonde she was talking to was definitely not Lauren. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware the doctor a new 'friend' to 'entertain' her nowadays," she added.

The insinuation behind the emphasized words was not lost on Ciara but the fairy only smiled politely and replied, "I'm only a friend that Lauren is helping out. May I ask why you're here?"

"I am the Head of Security for the Ash. Serena," the woman introduced herself with a touch of pride before returning to business at hand. "Is Lauren here?"

"Yes, she's asleep," Ciara answered, brow furrowing. "Why?"

The fairy didn't miss how Serena relaxed at the news but she stayed silent. "The Ash has ordered her to take a break from work once again. She is also to not leave her home for the time being until further orders are received to counter these," Serena explained sternly.

Ciara's eyes narrowed but Serena looked unwilling to divulge anymore information and the fairy nodded once. "Thank you, I will tell the doctor when she wakes up," she promised. "Good day to you."

Serena barely managed to nod before the door was closed. Inside the clean home, Ciara wondered what on earth had occurred to cause Lauren to be put under house arrest.

(-)(-)(-)

"Why am I here?" Bo asked, irritated and slightly worried. Lachlan had called her to the compound and, forgoing his usual arrogance had actually deigned to sit right next to Bo.

"I have information regarding Nadia." Lachlan didn't even wait for Bo to respond but continued, "Early this morning there was an attempt by the Dark to take her." Bo sat up quickly, ready to spew out questions and demands but Lachlan held up a hand. "They failed, of course, but I have reason to believe they are going to try freeing Nadia from the curse anyway and claiming the credit in order to get Lauren on their side."

Bo understood at once. "And you want me to do something to make sure you don't lose Lauren as a slave," she sneered.

"No," Lachlan said mildly. "I just thought you wouldn't want the Dark having any sort of hold over a human, especially one as brilliant as the doctor. I also know you have your own vested interest in this..." Bo found herself reluctantly nodding at his words so Lachlan continued, "I have located the shaman who cursed Nadia and since he is Dark Fae, you will have to be the one to visit and persuade him to remove the nail and lift the curse. He is a mystic known as Tshombe who lives in a small village in the Congo."

Hesitance still remained as Bo remembered Lauren's unwavering decision to keep Nadia the way she was. "One more thing," Lachlan said, ignoring Bo's mutter of "Oh here we go." "This is simple but critical: you can never tell Lauren that you're doing this."

Bo stared at him and asked, "Why not?"

"Because the nail can only be removed if the person making the request is doing so selflessly: exemplified by performing a life-changing favor for someone without them ever being aware," Lachlan explained. He kept his face controlled as he told Bo this because what he was saying was the most important part of his plan. While the part about the Dark attempting to take control of Nadia was true, this notion of self-sacrifice was not, but it was a perfect way to keep Lauren in the control of the Light. The Light had long used punishments to keep the doctor under control but as that was proving ineffective, it was time to use the carrot to lure her back in to the control of the Light.

Bo was quick on the uptake though and she frowned suspiciously. "Then how would the Dark be able to free Lauren if they're not doing so selflessly?" she questioned.

"Because this plan to free Nadia is the Morrigan's and obviously she won't be going to do the work herself. She is sending someone else, someone who will not take the credit. The Morrigan knows how this all works so I have the feeling that whoever she sends out will also be chosen in account of some sort of personal interest in freeing Nadia from the curse, though I have no idea what," Lachlan explained smoothly.

To his relief, Bo accepted his word. "Then I best get going since I seem to be behind on the hunt," Bo said with a nod.

Lachlan pulled out a business card and handed it over to her. "My travel agent. I'll call ahead and make all the arrangements."

(-)(-)(-)

No one was in the room when Lauren opened her eyes, and when she recognized the room and bed she was in, she was relieved at the fact that she couldn't see anyone.

She was in the future Bo's room.

Lauren couldn't help a slight shiver. "Right," she breathed, regaining her composure. "I need to check..." Throwing the blanket off, Lauren got off the bed in one movement, eager to leave the room. Seeing her lab coat hanging off a chair near the side, Lauren reached out and put it on, allowing the article of clothing to slide into place like a protective blanket. Then, she opened the door and peeked outside.

The hallway was empty. Sighing in relief, Lauren slipped outside and starting walking in the same direction Bo had led her before. She had no idea what she was really doing but knowing Bo, she would be fine if the succubus caught her wandering. The entire place though was eerily quiet and Lauren strained her ears, trying to hear anything, whether it be voices or footsteps heading her way. At times, she even wished Bo was there before she remembered hard blue eyes and her face would fall as she struggled to reconcile the Queen succubus with Bo.

Then, as Lauren turned a corner, a door opened to her right and Tamsin walked out. Lauren leaped backwards in shock, the noise of her stumbling drawing Tamsin's immediate attention. "Lauren?" the Valkyrie asked in shock, tucking back a knife into its sheath. "You're awake?"

"Tamsin!" Lauren barely managed to lower her voice from a shout as she relaxed from her fighting position. "I... yes, I woke up," she added unnecessarily.

Tamsin flashed her a quick smile, soothing Lauren's jittery nerves slightly. The doctor noticed then that there was a shifty sort of nervousness in the Valkyrie's movements. Lauren didn't comment on it and instead chose to gesture at the door behind the other woman. "What's in there?" She asked curiously.

Tamsin's default neutral mask twitched and her eyes flickered to the sides, as if checking for other people. "Just Bo's library," Tamsin answered, her voice smooth and unshaken. "She's been expanding on her collection after gathering all of the books that Trick, the Light, and the Dark had. There are books about practically everything fae and powerful artifacts and such." Lauren's interest was peaked, thinking about whether there was anything on time travel or her own unique situation. However, before she could ask anything more, Tamsin asked quickly, "So what are you wandering around here for?"

"I wanted to find Bo," Lauren replied, now certain that there was something strange going on with Tamsin but unsure of what was the cause. Nonetheless, Lauren didn't feel any urge to inquire when she saw Tamsin's form stiffen up just a touch at the mention of Bo. "God," Lauren breathed out loud before she could stop herself when she recognized the weariness and fear and even some anger in Tamsin's body language: she had held herself the same way when she had been a slave to the Light. "What did she do to you?"

The Tamsin Lauren had known was strong. Vibrant. She was ready with barbs and witty retorts for everything. If Tamsin liked or disliked anyone, it was utterly obvious. Even if it had bothered Lauren slightly at first, Lauren knew Tamsin had also cared for Bo. But now, seeing the Valkyrie's reaction to Bo's name as well as her quickly composed mask of indifference, Lauren wondered what had changed so drastically. There was no way her death could have changed things that much.

"Bo's not here," Tamsin said coolly, ignoring what Lauren had just asked her. "She's hunting down Evony."

Lauren raised her eyebrow and was about to ask what Bo would want with Evony when there was a muffled thud from the room behind Tamsin. Immediately, the lighter blonde whirled, accidentally smacking Lauren with her wings as she pushed into the room frantically. "Kenzi?" She called, sounding panicked.

Lauren followed her in and came to a stop. Once inside, she couldn't help but gasp as she realized that the room was in fact a gigantic library. Shelves stuffed full of books were standing everywhere she looked and as Lauren's eyes passed rapidly over the shelves, she noticed a few familiar titles standing out. This library held a plethora of both fae and human books of all types of subjects. The room itself was brightly lit through large, high arching windows, which allowed a clear view of the bright blue sky as well as what looked like the tops of a few trees.

Soon, Lauren's eyes came to the source of the commotion. Kenzi was on the floor by a toppled chair next to a table that held a bare plate and utensils. The plate showed signs of having held food recently from leftover smears of sauce. Tamsin was crouched over Kenzi protectively as she demanded, "What did you do to her?" while facing...

"Ciara!" Lauren exclaimed as she saw the fairy.

At the exclamation, Ciara met Lauren's gaze with her own surprised one. "Lauren? You're alive!" she exclaimed even as the open window above her darkened and Dyson flew through the window. He landed with a thud, barely missing Ciara and nearly rolling into Tamsin and Kenzi before he jumped to his feet.

"Yes, I'm alive," Lauren answered, gazing at the two newcomers in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"

Tamsin stood up, and drew her knife out. "That's a good question because you shouldn't be here," she growled, her voice sounding strangely worried. "What did you do to Kenzi? And why are you risking your rebellion by breaking right into Bo's headquarters? You know I have to take you in."

"We had to get Kenzi back," Dyson answered, looking slightly wide-eyed himself when he saw Lauren. "Not when we didn't know what Bo would do to her if we waited too long. I'm not sure what happened to Kenzi though." He threw a questioning look to Ciara while Kenzi began to stir next to Tamsin.

"When I dropped in, I surprised her and she fell and hit her head," Ciara explained apologetically. "Like Dyson said, we're here to save her... And both of you too, if you want. You can come with us," Ciara added, looking at Tamsin and then at Lauren. "We can leave with everyone and you two can stay us." Her voice dropped and she said quietly, "You don't have to stay with Bo."

Lauren was an intelligent woman. She could easily deduce that Ciara, Dyson, and presumably Kenzi were part of some kind of rebellion. She could also see that Tamsin cared for the others and maybe even longed to join them. What Lauren couldn't understand was why the Valkyrie rejected their offer with a simple shake of her head. It seemed that none of the other two understood either but they also looked as if they expected the answer, only looking sad and resigned rather than surprised. "I guess we'll have to fight this out then?" Dyson asked stoically as he crouched, ready to spring.

Kenzi sat up, and Lauren choked as she caught her first full glimpse of her fellow human. She was lacking her usual exuberant eyeliner and instead sported dark circles that came from lack of sleep. She looked pale and thin—half-starved really. "Wha-?" she muttered tiredly as she opened her eyes slightly. "Oh, Ciara. Dyson. Here to save me? It's okay though. Bobalicious has been caring for me."

"Caring for you?" Dyson looked outraged. "You look starved and beaten!"

"I love Bo," Kenzi replied with a dreamy smile. "And Tammy has been sneaking food to me here. I'm not supposed to tell Bo though. I want to though. Anything for Bo..."

Ciara hissed. "She's under a thrall," she realized. "I can take her out of here and free her from it. We have to hurry, there's no more time," she said quickly. "Tamsin. Lauren. Are you sure you're going to stay here with Bo?"

Tamsin was squeezing and unsqueezing the knife in her hand, looking tense. She wanted Kenzi to be freed from Bo's thrall. After Lauren had collapsed while talking to Kenzi, Bo's treatment to the goth had deteriorated quickly. Being back in the rebellion would be dangerous, but at least Kenzi would be treated better. However, Tamsin practically belonged to Bo now. She couldn't fight the succubus' orders and let Kenzi escape without a fight.

"I think we need to stay here," Lauren murmured in reply, eyes fixed on Tamsin's conflicted expression. "But you two need to go. Take Kenzi."

"You know I can't let them do that," Tamsin warned, looking sideways towards the doctor.

Only Lauren heard the note of uncertainty in her voice. "Kenzi will be safer with them," Lauren said softly. "Please, Tamsin. We all know you care."

The Valkyrie never got the chance to make the choice because just then, the door opened and Bo walked in. She threw a tied-up, squirming and furious Evony onto the floor and then casually continued a few steps. "Tamsin? Have you detained Ciara and Dyson yet or do you need my help fighting—Lauren!?" The succubus looked stunned for a second before narrowing in on the other four. "Still here? Looks like today is my lucky day," she quipped with a wide smile.

Dyson let out a howl as he basically tackled Tamsin, throwing the stunned woman into Bo. "Ciara, go!"

"I'm on it!"

"You are not getting away! Get them, Tamsin!"

Books were crashing down as shelves were knocked into in the ensuing struggle. Dyson and Bo were shouting at each other and Evony added to the din with her own muffled ranting.

"BO!" Lauren's shout brought the entire room to a standstill. "Bo, please let them go." Her voice was soft and pleading as she looked beseechingly at the succubus who was currently struggling with Dyson. Ciara was helping Kenzi up while Tamsin was paused in the act of heading towards the two.

"You don't understand how dangerous they are," Bo warned through harsh panting. "I told you before. They were disloyal and they've been fighting me for years."

"Maybe so," Lauren allowed. "But they weren't here to harm you this time. Just... let them go?"

Bo's eyes darkened in anger but stayed a relatively bright blue as she looked between Lauren and the others. Finally, she sighed and closed her eyes. "Go," she said shortly. She continued standing there stock still as Dyson immediately backed away and helped Ciara lift Kenzi up. With a brief nod to Lauren, the trio made their escape.

Once the noise had died down leaving only the sounds of breathing, Bo opened her eyes. Somewhere near the door, Evony began making loud noises again through her gag but she was ignored. Lauren stared at Bo and realized that her eyes were brown. "Bo?" she asked softly.

"Not exactly the homecoming I was expecting," Bo shrugged with a weak smile. "Tamsin? Can you get someone to clean this up? And make sure to put away the dishes." Tamsin made a brief noise of surprise before she nodded. It seemed Bo had known of her sneaking food to Kenzi. "And Lauren... I'll talk to you later if I can. I just... I need to talk to Evony for a while." Bo reached out and brushed Lauren's arm with the tips of her fingers before her eyes turned blue again and she turned around. She picked up the bound former Morrigan none too gently and stalked out of the room.

The door closed with a bang, leaving the library silent once more. Lauren let out a breath as she finally computed what had just happened. Ciara was alive but Bo was still the same. "Tamsin?" At her questioning tone, Tamsin stopped from picking up the dishes still sitting undisturbed on the table and looked at Lauren. "Did my death really cause Bo to turn out this way? What about Dyson?"

The Valkyrie looked confused. "What does the wolf have to do with this?" Then she shook her head and shrugged. "Your death definitely had an effect. I managed to see some of the bodies including yours." She made a face. "At least you seem to have died happy. You managed to save the girl and Bo nearly got to you too. I'm sorry she was late."

Lauren nodded and then explained, "But Dyson was there to comfort Bo right? Even you were there." Tamsin nodded slowly, uncertain of where Lauren was going. "I know she loves—loved?—both of you. She shouldn't have changed so much when she still had both of you."

Tamsin laughed but there was little mirth in it. "She loves you. Why would she move on with us?"

Lauren couldn't help the warm feeling that flickered briefly before she stamped it down with a frown. "I don't understand how she still loves me," she muttered to herself. "I need to focus more on making her love Dyson then."

"Making her love Dyson?" Tamsin asked in utter confusion. "It's a bit too late now isn't it?"

"Not for me," Lauren said with a quick grin. She brushed off Tamsin's bewilderment with a shake of her head. "Nevermind. Do you know where Bo went with Evony?"

Tamsin hesitated.

"Tamsin?" Lauren pushed.

Finally caving in, the other blonde admitted, "Probably in the dungeons."

"Then I need to go there," Lauren nodded.

"What? Oh hell no," Tamsin countered immediately.

"Why?"

Tamsin became quiet again, struggling to find a way to say what she wanted to. "Doc..." she said slowly, her eyes sad. "You have got to remember that this Bo is different from what you knew." Lauren felt an unpleasant suspicion start to itch in the back of her mind. "She's probably 'interrogating' Evony for whatever information she wants."

Lauren was smart enough to find the underlying meaning in Tamsin's words. "Torture," she said grimly. Tamsin didn't even have to confirm her conclusion. "Then I definitely go to her," the human stated simply, ignoring the answering sputter of denial. She crossed her arms and continued, "I need to talk to her. Even if things change later on so she never tortures Evony, I can't let her do this."

The two blondes regarded each other before Tamsin nodded hesitantly. The Valkyrie had no idea what Lauren was talking about but the doctor had that same determined glint in her eye that always meant that she couldn't be fought. "Fine," she acquiesced. For the first time in a long while, she felt a tiny grain of hope that things could change. After all, it was always Lauren who had the power to regain Bo's humanity. Maybe she would even manage to help Bo this time too.

(-)(-)(-)

It was still around morning and so no one was in the Dal except Trick as he wiped down the bar table while music played quietly in the background. To his surprise, he heard a door open and he looked up. "Hey," Dyson greeted gruffly as he strode towards a spot in front of the barkeep.

"Kind of early for you," Trick noted. "Coffee or beer?"

Dyson pulled off his jacket and settled down on a stool as he replied simply, "Beer."

Trick raised an eyebrow. "It's been that kind of morning has it?"

Dyson covered his face with his hands as he considered what to say to his old friend. He had not managed to sleep at all. For the first time in a long while, he could feel love and passion. The emotions had flooded him like a tidal wave but soon after that, the euphoria had died down and he had been left with the guilt and conflict that Ciara added to the situation. For all her support, Kenzi's main focus had been on urging him to tell Bo the good news, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do so. He and Bo had been over for a while and he knew she had something going on with Lauren. Then there was Ciara...

A mug of beer scraped across the bar into his line of vision and he took his time drinking some of it. Trick waited patiently for him to speak and Dyson finally did, stating, "I got my love back."

"That's good news!" Trick said with a nod before realizing the problem. "How is Ciara taking it? And Bo?"

"Ciara walked out because I never told her that I couldn't love her," Dyson sighed, scrubbing his beard with one hand. "Bo doesn't know... I don't know."

"My friend, at some point you're going to have to sort out your emotions," Trick advised. "Why haven't you told Bo yet?"

"She has enough to deal with," Dyson muttered. "And everyone can see that she's starting something with Lauren again." He took another drink. "Did you know Lauren helped Kenzi get my love back?"

Trick was stunned. "She did?" _Another strange move by the doctor_, he thought to himself curiously. "Lauren has been rather strange lately. Speaking of which, I need to talk to her about a warning she gave me a few days ago but she has been avoiding the Dal. Can you get her to talk to me later?"

Just when Dyson started to nod, the door to the Dal slammed open and Bo stalked in with furious purpose. Dyson stared at her but the succubus barely even acknowledged his presence while she turned to Trick. "I need to know everything you can tell me about something called a 'Preta,'" Bo announced.

"If you're planning a Preta hunt, I suggest bringing along some backup," Trick replied, looking at Bo strangely.

Bo waved a hand and looked questioningly at Dyson who nodded without thinking. The succubus then turned back to Trick, looking impatient. "Please hurry," she requested. "I need to find this Preta as quick as possible because there's someone else going after him too."

"I'll get out my books," Trick agreed. "Just give me a moment." He vanished to his lair, leaving Dyson to sit there awkwardly and Bo tapping furiously on the bar.

"Who's after this Preta and why?" Dyson asked he, taking another drink of his beer, but limiting himself. It wouldn't do to head out while tipsy.

The tapping slowed. "There's a shaman that cursed Nadia—someone Lauren loves," Bo began. At the mention of Lauren, Dyson's eyes widened and he couldn't help but look over at Bo. She was staring down at her fingers as they continued drumming against the wood. "When I got there, he had been attacked. He was sick already, but whatever fae that got to him used some power to threaten him and made him a lot worse. They stopped before he died though and he sent them (and me) to get some sort of healing mask from a Preta before he would free Nadia. Whoever gets there first..." Bo trailed away and then sighed anxiously. "Whoever went after him though was strong. He said it was like 'seeing death' or something."

Dyson nodded slowly. "This Nadia thing..." He started. "Why are you doing this?"

Bo threw a surprised look at him. "Lauren loves Nadia. So if Nadia is brought back, she'll be happy," she said as if that were the most obvious thing in the world. "I think you understand."

And Dyson did understand. _You love Lauren..._ he realized. _You're sacrificing your feelings to make her happy. Just like how I sacrificed my love to let you live before. Just like what she sacrificed with getting my love back. _He let himself wonder for a bit if things could turn out happily ever after if Lauren did, in fact, love Nadia. Lauren and Nadia could be together and he had his love back so he could be with Bo. However, it felt like a pipe dream since he held the knowledge of what each person was sacrificing for each other. Dyson had the feeling that Bo was misreading the Nadia/Lauren situation or at least was underestimating how much Lauren cared for her. And he knew he was in no position to do anything with Bo either because he was torn over Ciara. Trick was right: he had to sort out his emotions.

Trick walked back into the room and spread out his books onto a table. "Preta are extremely greedy creatures," he started and then launched into a deeper explanation.

Soon, Bo and Dyson were ready. When they stood up though, Trick tapped Bo's arm. "I told Dyson this too, but if you can, get Lauren to talk to me. Her warning about the Garuda was vague and I'm thinking she may have misunderstood whatever vision she received because the Garuda should be extinct. If she was right though, I'm planning on using the upcoming Blood Moon to divine the future and see if we can prepare for it."

Dyson watched them talk curiously but didn't speak. Bo just frowned at Trick. "If Lauren saw the Garuda, I'm sure she saw the right thing. She's smart."

"Just get her to talk to me," Trick reiterated. "Now go."

"Right, time to hunt a Preta," Bo exhaled as she started to head towards the door. "By the way," she looked at Dyson. "I really appreciate you helping me with this."

Dyson looked at her briefly and then smiled. "Ah, I had nothing better to do today. Besides... what are _friends_ for?"

(-)(-)(-)

Tamsin and Lauren walked down the darkened halls of the dungeons without talking. Lauren had been there only once before when she had asked to talk to Kenzi the first time, but at that time, they had been in one of the first cells which were relatively well-lit and clean. This time, Tamsin led the doctor down to the second level where the cells were more fit to be part of a medieval horror story: stony, dark, damp, and cramped. There was only a little bit of light from dim bulbs. Lauren was slightly surprised Bo hadn't just gone all out and put in flickering torches of light instead to fit with the mood.

The acoustics of the hallway were also better, or so it seemed from the way Evony's scream had rang through the area moments before. Tamsin looked unmoved by the noise but Lauren flinched as they walked.

They got to the room quickly and Lauren peered into the slot on the door.

The former Morrigan was bleeding from her lip but seemed mostly unharmed from where she was tied down to a chair. Or rather, Lauren amended, Evony was mostly uninjured on her face. Bo was standing behind the woman and so Lauren could see a clear view of how one of Evony's legs was bent at an unnatural angle. The floor around her was stained with fresh blood. The doctor felt sick.

"Are you going to tell me who killed Lauren now?" Bo asked, turning away from Evony to face the wall. Her voice was unconcerned and cold. "Not many could fight both my seduction and my pain techniques, but you'll tell me in the end."

Evony couldn't turn around to face the succubus but she lifted her head. Her eyes found Lauren's and she started smiling darkly. "Darling," she drawled, talking to Bo but still staring down the frozen human. "I can definitely tell you who was there at the scene when she died."

"Every one of them?" Bo sounded suspicious as she began pacing.

Evony laughed as if she wasn't currently in pain. "After all, I was the one who chose the group."

Bo froze. "_What?_" she hissed.

"The Dark Elders wanted to use her mind to find a way to finally subdue the Light, or at least wanted her for leverage," Evony explained, flicking her eyes to the side and trying to turn to look at Bo. However, Bo began pacing behind her again and she decided to sit still again. "There was... hmm... let's see. The people at the scene of the crime..." Evony began listing names. Each one that passed from her lips caused Bo to coil up even more as she moved. A few made her nod: probably ones she had taken in and destroyed already.

"And, of course, you. And that precocious little Nain Rouge. I heard she survived because of the doctor," Evony smiled. Despite everything, she looked for all the world as if she were enjoying herself and was in total control of the situation rather than being at Bo's mercy.

Bo stalked around the chair to face Evony again, blocking Lauren's view. Beside Lauren, Tamsin looked uncertain, wanting to interrupt the session going on or do something but Lauren held out a hand and kept her still.

"So _you_ were the one who killed Lauren?" Bo hissed, forming a fist with her right hand.

"Of course not, dear," Evony murmured dismissively, eyes glinting. "The blade was poisoned, but the poison wouldn't have killed Lauren."

"_What?_" Bo snarled. "But she died!"

Evony smirked gloatingly. There was unpleasant knowledge in the smug way she held herself. "That stomach wound alone could have been easily healed by your fae technology, and like I said, the poison wouldn't have killed her. Only paralyzed." She was gloating now as Bo became even more threatening, looming over the former Morrigan. "Maybe you killed her. Maybe you gave up on her too early and let her die."

There was a crack and Evony actually flew back several feet, chair and all when Bo punched her face. Another scream filled the air. Lauren exhaled shakily. Bo was utterly terrifying as she strode towards Evony, ready to continue. Evony spat onto the floor and looked up. She looked past Bo to stare again at Lauren. "Poor darling," she cooed, still taunting Bo. Lauren suddenly saw something sharp in Evony's expression. Evony was planning something.

Lauren had no idea what, but she couldn't watch anymore and she leapt forward, yanking the door open with a loud scraping noise.

Bo whirled. "What are you _doing_ here?" she demanded.

"Stopping you from doing this," Lauren answered truthfully. "Don't do this to her." She threw a glance over at the silent prisoner. "She's not worth it."

Bo's eyes glowed and she stared furiously at Lauren. Lauren tried not to tremble but then the succubus reluctantly nodded. "You're right," she acquiesced. Lauren had the feeling the succubus actually didn't believe that, but she was relieved that Bo listened to her so she just smiled weakly and walked with Bo to the door.

"I'll get someone to clean her up and put her in a better cell," Bo promised as she walked out of the room. Her eyes zeroed in on Tamsin and she waved for Lauren to go on ahead.

"It was good that you escorted her," Bo murmured quietly to Tamsin as they fell into step behind the human. "But _never again_ should you bring her to me when I'm dealing with prisoners. You know she wouldn't understand what I have to do." Tamsin licked her lips and nodded silently. Bo's threatening tone became almost friendly and she patted Tamsin on the shoulder. "Good then. Get someone to fix up Evony in one of the free cells."

Tamsin nodded and walked more quickly to get past Lauren only to slow down when the doctor tapped her quickly as she passed. Bo watched with narrowed eyes as Lauren smiled and promised to talk to the Valkyrie later on.

However, the moment was brief and Tamsin was soon gone so then the succubus ambled over to Lauren and finally allowed herself to see the rigid way the blonde was holding herself. "...Lauren?" Bo winced when she saw how Lauren flinched away from her. "Are you angry at me?" She sounded like a child but Bo could only watch Lauren for an answer, not caring about how she sounded.

Lauren let out a sigh. "I'm not angry at you," she said quietly. Bo brightened. "It's just... I think we need to talk."

Bo looked at Lauren with worried eyes but nodded. "I think we should..." She hesitantly held out her hand. "Walk with me? I'll show you outside and we can talk there."

Lauren reached out and gently grasped the offered hand. "Lead the way."

(-)(-)(-)

The catacombs under the First Christ Church was a dull, dusty place. "Would have been a crappy place for a honeymoon," Bo remarked and Dyson chuckled in agreement. The two of them stepped delicately through a dirty passage, looking around. They had just reached a blank wall with a hallway on either side when they heard voices coming from the hallway on the right.

"I am only willing to trade," a man's voice was saying, but he sounded shaky.

"You will tell me where the mask is or my blade might just—slip—" This time it was a woman's voice. Dangerous. Sarcastic.

Exchanging glances, Bo and Dyson sped up their steps and entered a room littered with treasures everywhere. There were statues, works of art, golden artifacts of all sizes. Standing among it all was a greying man in a drab brown tunic and a woman with pale blonde hair. Bo ran her eyes along the woman's tight pants and leather jacket appreciatively before finally jerking her eyes to the woman's face when she turned around.

She heard a sharp inhalation of breath from beside her and agreed completely as she stared at the ghastly face. The woman's eyes looked like they were sunken into dark pits and it was almost like staring at a skeleton, but Bo could look at skeletons. For some reason, this particular skeleton made her want to turn tail and flee without looking back. What was she doing here? Why stay?

Lauren.

Bo grasped onto the thought like a lifeline. She was doing this for Lauren. For Lauren to be happy. Drawing herself up, she glared right on back at the woman. "So you're the one who attacked Tshombe. Well, you're not going to be the one to un-curse Nadia. That's going to be me."

The woman snorted, her skeleton face withdrawing until it was gone. If it had been a random person on the street and if she hadn't seen the skeletal face just earlier, Bo would've thought her quite attractive. Then the blonde scoffed at her saying, "You think you can beat me?"

"Two against one," Bo said, jerking her head to refer to Dyson. "But I could probably take you all by myself blondie."

"Please, succubitch," came the dismissive reply. "The Morrigan warned me about who might come and you're not even the most powerful on the list."

"It seems we're at a disadvantage since we don't know who you are," Dyson noted.

"Well get used to it," the woman replied, not taking the chance to introduce herself that Dyson offered.

"For all your 'power' you don't seem to be succeeding in getting what you want," Bo jeered. She turned her head slightly to look at the man who was presumably the Preta. "I have something to trade." Meanwhile, Dyson moved to stand between her and the other woman as if to protect her. He growled threateningly.

"Funny," the woman sighed. "People never seem to learn." She stepped forward. "Don't mess with me." Dyson began to growl and shake his head as if confused. He took a step back. And then another as the woman advanced.

Bo looked up from where she had put down Trick's wife's bracelet in payment to the Preta. "Dyson!"

"What are you?" he rasped as he took another step back, nearly crashing into some goblets on the floor.

The next second, Bo had a knife to the blonde's neck and she growled, "Whatever you're doing to him, stop it."

"Pity," she drawled. The next second, Bo found herself doubling over, gasping for air from the elbow blow that had slammed into her stomach. The woman slipped out of her slackened grip and kicked the knife away into a pile of dust on the floor where it fragmented into more dust. Then she aimed to knee Bo in the face.

Bo dodged out of the way just in time and grabbed the leg. The succubus tugged her forward, straight into a waiting fist. The blonde's head snapped to the side from the punch but by then, the momentum of the pull had unbalanced her too and Bo cursed as the two fell together. Twisting, Bo managed to land on top of the other woman, though both were lucky to miss any dust or artifacts.

"Bo, watch out! The Preta." Dyson cried weakly from where he was still crouching, too shaken by what he had just experienced.

Bo looked up to see the Preta gripping a handful of dust grinning darkly as he prepared to throw it on the two. It was no surprise that the greedy man would try to get out of the deal. Below Bo, the blonde shot the Preta a look so venomous, that even without her power he hesitated. Taking advantage of that, Bo stood up and pulled the blonde out of the way of the dust.

"I hate it when people try to double-cross me," Bo snarled. The blonde was surprised at being saved by the succubus but joined her powers to cause the man to practically wet himself in fear.

"Show us where the mask is," the blonde ordered.

United, but still suspicious of each other, the group made their way to another room and came to a stop at the sight of huge piles of the deadly dust awaiting them while the mask sat innocently on the far end.

"The mask is yours," the Preta said smugly. "Whoever reaches it."

"You might've saved my life," the blonde muttered. "But I was paid to do this so that's what I'm going to do."

"It's obviously a trap," Bo growled. "And _I_ am going to get it. I made the trade."

"Not a trap," the Preta protested. "Merely a part of your quest."

"You have the bracelet. Just give us the mask and we could be on our way," Dyson said softly from near the back.

"Except everything he touches is gonna turn to dust remember?" the blonde reminded him. She took a step forward but Bo held her back.

"I have to do this," the succubus said firmly.

The blonde's eyes narrowed. "Fine. I'll just let you go kill yourself and get the mask for myself."

Bo took a deep breath and then started to walk carefully through the tiny channels of open floor. Everyone watched her carefully except Dyson whose eyes caught onto a brown cloak not unlike the one the Preta wore. "Bo wait," he started. He picked up the cloak and looked doubtfully at it for a moment before regaining himself. "This material doesn't disintegrate. Try this." He threw it over to Bo who caught it.

Meanwhile, the blonde noticed the Preta move to open the door. "Nuh uh," she tsked, spinning a curved blade around her finger for a moment. "I wouldn't open that door if I were you." The Preta stopped and looked at her skeletal features fearfully. Then he glanced at Bo who had almost reached the mask. His expression hardened and he turned, pulling open the door.

Wind rushed into the room as Dyson called out with a worried, "Bo cover yourself!" Dust began to swirl around the succubus and the wolf shifter was frozen, blankly searching his scattered mind for something to help Bo. The blonde threw her blade and the Preta flinched, raising a hand to protect himself. The blade crumbled into dust and Tamsin scowled furiously. Her features began to morph even more and she advanced on the man.

"No, not the Michelangelo!" He said in horror as Dyson joined her by heaving up the bust. The force of the object sent him flying into a stack of objects. He lay there stunned and stared up at the blonde woman who stepped up next to him while Dyson closed the door with a thud. The Preta and the woman stared at each other until the man seized up with a cry and then fell silent. He wouldn't be stealing from anyone anymore.

"I've got it," Bo said, running back to them. Her eyes fell on the dead man and then to the side. "Trick's bracelet!" She exclaimed, picking it up. "I can give it back to him!"

"About that mask..." the other woman began, drawing Bo's gaze to her.

"I'm not giving it to you," the succubus said exasperatedly.

"I just killed the Preta without touching him and you still think fighting me is a good idea?" she asked.

Bo sighed. "Listen. I just want to free Lauren and Nadia is part of that. It seems like you want the same thing. So why don't we just go together and then we can both claim to have done what was asked?"

The blonde looked thoughtful before she smirked and nodded. "This'll drive the Morrigan crazy. I like it."

Bo almost regretted her decision when she brought the other woman along to the travel agency. She had barely managed to stop her from murdering the "entirely too cheerful" travel agent Peggy who still demanded that they take a number before they could go. Luckily, they made it to Tshombe without further fatalities.

For a moment, it had seemed like they had arrived too late, but the healing mask was placed on the shaman's face and he sat up. He caught a glimpse of his previous attacker and froze but Bo calmed him down with a few easy words. The blonde was no help as she stood there, smirking with her arms crossed over her chest. After blessing the hammer head, Tshombe watched in slight surprise how Bo passed the head on to the blonde and then stood behind her in silent support when she wrenched off the nail.

"Well, it seems like I'm good," the blonde said with a grin, handing Bo the hammer head back. "Thanks for that. Seems like you're not that bad even if a little annoying."

Bo grinned and then looked at the tool in her hand. Then her eyes hardened and she turned and started tugging at another of the nails. The shaman stuttered. "Y-you have ended the curse on Nadia! You do not have the power to remove other nails! Those nails can only be removed—" he stopped as another nail popped out with a tinkle.

"Well damn," the blonde drawled. "Must not require much to remove a nail after all." She watched in interest as Bo began pulling out even more before the shaman managed to stop her by describing some of the horrors he had put a stop to.

"Maybe, we have to agree that neither of us has the right to be judge and jury," Bo said, crouching down over the box of nails. She looked to the side at her companion. "Hey. I know you took some of the dust...?"

She immediately understood what the succubus was asking and heaved an exaggerated sigh. "I think this counts as more than enough payment for saving my life earlier then." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a little scrap of fabric which held some of the dust inside. Once it was handed over to Bo, the carefully stored dust was poured out into the box, destroying all the nails much to Tshombe's horror.

Then, without another word, the two women left the shaman to yell out in horror at the loss of his cursing nails.

Outside, the duo faced each other. The blonde chuckled. "Well, I'll make sure that the Morrigan tells the doctor how it was both of us who freed her girlfriend. I owe you that." She frowned. "Though next time we go against each other, just know I'll be beating your ass." Having to be saved by Bo and not fully succeeding in her mission was a rather large sting in her pride and she _wasn't_ going to lose again.

"Wait. You... I thought we have to keep our involvement a secret from Lauren," Bo said, frowning.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Lachlan said that freeing Nadia would only work if whoever frees her does so selflessly without the person ever being aware."

Her response was a disbelieving snort. "You're so gullible; I can't believe I lost to you."

Bo ignored the barb, too focused on a growing anger at the Ash. It would have to be put aside though, she realized. First, she had to deal with seeing that Nadia was back with Lauren.

"Maybe I'll see you around later, succubitch," the blonde said, interrupting her thoughts and preparing to leave.

"Wait!" Bo blurted out. "What's your name?"

The blonde paused and then smirked. "Tamsin." She waved and then vanished as she used the two-way ticket the travel agent had provided her to vanish from sight. By the time Bo followed her back, Tamsin was gone (but luckily, Peggy was still alive).

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren had to admit that the estate Bo had chosen to take over was just as amazing on the outside as on the inside. The two were surrounded by green. There were trees and flowers of all sorts that spread out among the fresh green grass as far out as the eye could see. In contrast to what she had just recently witnessed, the outside of the estate practically gleamed with nature's best. Lauren would have thought that Bo's headquarters would be placed in the center of the city, but instead it seemed that they were somewhere to the side of civilization.

Taking a deep breath, Lauren inhaled the scents of freshly mown grass and the earthy smell of nature. The sun shone brightly over the two of them, but it only warmed the chilly air to a comfortable temperature. In short, it felt like a perfect day.

Well, perfect apart from the entire situation that was Bo torturing another person just to hunt down those who had hurt her. Lauren looked down at the hand that was holding her own. It was clean (Lauren had watched Bo wash it herself) but the doctor couldn't help but fancy that she still saw streaks of red on it. She suppressed a shudder.

As if sensing her discomfort, Bo reluctantly let go and allowed them to walk together without contact across the grass. "I know things are different for you," Bo began. "But it's been years and things have changed."

"Including you," Lauren pointed out. "What happened to you Bo?"

"You died."

Frustration rose up her throat like bile. "But that can't be the _only_ reason!" Lauren wanted to know every single step that Bo had taken to get where she was now. It was the only way she could know what to stop and fix back in the past. She remembered Tamsin mentioning that even Dyson and her love had not been enough. "Why wasn't Dyson enough?"

"_Why_ do you keep bringing Dyson up?" Bo asked, her own frustration mounting. Then her eyes softened and she slumped her shoulders. "I'm sorry. It's because you felt like you were never a priority, huh?"

"W-what?" Lauren stuttered, stumbling slightly even though all they were walking on was a gentle slope with only grass. "N-no! That's—I know you had your reasons and things to do-"

Bo laughed mirthlessly. "See? There it is." Her voice dropped and she fixed her eyes on the ground, though Lauren didn't notice. Both of them were talking without looking at each other as walked. Dappled shadows fell over them as they entered a grove of trees. "Ciara had to tell me about it. I was so _blind_..." Bo came to a halt, causing Lauren to also stop mid-step and turn to her. "But I get it now," the succubus said earnestly. Her eyes were brown. "You were always there for me and now I'm going to always be there for you. You'll always be first for me."

Oh and how much Lauren wanted that to be true. For the first time, she wondered if maybe she could just change things through this future instead. It certainly didn't seem impossible: Bo looked willing to change now and she was listening to her. Lauren could be loved by Bo and also convince her to let go of her power.

But doubt niggled in the back of her mind as she remembered dead bodies, a beaten and starved Kenzi, the trapped slavery of Tamsin, and Bo's blue eyes.

"Are you sure you're not angry at me?" Bo asked anxiously as Lauren continued to ponder silently.

"I'm not angry at you," Lauren repeated, shaking her head. "All of that is in the past now." She couldn't help add a touch of irony to her last statement and she smiled and started walking again.

Beside her, Bo bounded forward and into the sun again, exiting the trees. Then she turned and Lauren's breath caught in her throat as layers of darkness vanished. Bo was smiling, shining with adoration and relief. "I knew you'd still love me even after everything I've done," she said happily. Her eyes turned blue and Lauren's smile wavered. "Only you have stayed with me through everything since the beginning."

Lauren stood at the edge of the trees, still under the shadows as she watched Bo's eyes turn sad and she knew what the succubus was thinking of. "Not for the last few years, huh?" she asked softly. "I'm sorry about that too. I'm sorry I died."

Bo's smile was tremulous but her eyes were brown again and sincere. "But you're back now." She stepped close to Lauren. "May I kiss you?" She asked seriously.

Lauren looked carefully at Bo, noting the love that shone so obviously through everything the succubus did. Something—hope—fluttered in her chest. She smiled and stepped into the sunlight, right in front of Bo. "Yes," she breathed and tilted her head to catch Bo's lips with her own.

Their lips slid together and it was all hesitance and softness at first as they rediscovered each other. Then Bo became more desperate as she wrapped one arm around Lauren's waist and tangled her other hand with the hair on the back of Lauren's head. She clutched onto the doctor as if the blonde would slip away at any moment. Their mouths parted and Lauren clutched on either side of Bo's shirt when the succubus swept her tongue through the inside of Lauren's mouth. Someone whimpered.

And then there was a shout and Lauren drew back as if burned. Her chest was heaving and she felt flushed as she turned to see what had interrupted her and Bo.

Tamsin stood there, her eyes averted somewhere to the side of the duo. "Evony's gone," she informed them. "I sent someone to the cell to fix her up and she wasn't there any more."

Bo let out a growl. "I should've guessed I caught her too easily. She must've had something up her sleeve." When Lauren glanced over, she saw that her eyes were blue once more and her heart sank. "There must be something she was after inside my estate. Have some people go through the rooms and see if anything's missing."

Suddenly, Lauren felt her wrist tingle and she looked down. There, wrapped securely on her wrist was the bracelet. She stared at it uncomprehendingly for a moment before she swayed and then her eyes slid shut.

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren woke up to see Ciara hovering over her worriedly. "Wh-what happened?" she rasped, sitting up. She tasted blood in her mouth again and her voice was hoarse. She felt as if she had run a marathon from the feeling of the rapid pounding of her heart but even that was nothing to the painful pounding in her head. At first she had no idea why it hurt so much and then a rush of memories reminded her of the drinks she had put down last night. It seemed hydration hadn't done much for her.

The fairy looked worried as she offered the doctor a glass of water. "I didn't notice at first, but I looked more closely at your bracelet when you wouldn't wake up. What have you gotten yourself into?"

Lauren made a face as she tasted her own blood mixed with the water that she was gulping down thirstily. "What do you mean?"

"That bracelet? It's dangerous. Taking it off is hurting you—I've seen something like this before across the pond. Not the same thing of course, but when it's off of you, there are similar symptoms." Ciara's gaze was firm. "Any time you take it off, you're hurting yourself. And if you keep on doing so, you can even die."

"Maybe I should do some tests," Lauren said, digesting the new information worriedly. How would she be able to stay in the future or even check the changes she was doing? "Find a way to counter these effects..."

"What is so important about taking off that bracelet?" Ciara interrupted, causing Lauren to stop and flap her mouth for a moment.

"I... It's hard to explain," Lauren finally answered weakly.

Ciara looked at her new friend suspiciously but didn't press. "Just promise to be careful?"

"This is important," Lauren explained shiftily. "But I'll try to limit how I use the bracelet." Lauren wiggled the bracelet around and then met Ciara's gaze. "Thank you... for caring for me," she added softly with a smile of thanks for the fairy's support.

"You've helped me too," the fairy replied seriously. "What are friends for?"

Downstairs, the door opened loudly causing both blondes to look at each other in confusion. "Was someone supposed to be here?" Ciara inquired. Lauren shook her head in answer and took the lead out of the room.

"Lauren!" Bo called as Lauren made her way down the stairs. "Where are—oh." The succubus looked confused at the presence of Ciara behind the doctor but put it aside to focus on Lauren. "Hey," she greeted awkwardly.

Lauren's lips twitched up and her eyes lingered on Bo's tight leather clothing before she snapped her eyes back to Bo's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Well, it's—it's a surprise? I guess," Bo stammered uncertainly. "It might be better if I..." She turned around to the open door and called, "you can come in now!"

Lauren looked to the side at the person who walked in hesitantly and felt her stomach drop. "Oh my god," Lauren whispered. "Nadia!? You're not supposed to be awake!" There was an awkward pause and Lauren flushed at how bad that had sounded. "No, I mean..."

"No, I get it," Nadia interrupted with a half-grimace, half-smile. "I was told how I was in a coma for five years. I get how it could be surprising."

"Yeah..." Lauren whispered. She stood there blankly as Ciara helped Nadia sit down in one of the sofas and offered to get the woman something to eat or drink. While they chatted, Lauren finally turned to Bo. "What's going on?" she hissed in panic. "Why is she awake?"

The succubus looked at her strangely. "I'd've thought you'd be more happy about everything."

Lauren sighed. "_I am_. It's just... it's not safe with the Garuda."

"About that. Trick wants to talk to you about whether or not you actually saw the Garuda," Bo remembered. She smiled comfortingly at Lauren. "I'm sure everything will turn out fine. I even worked with a dark Fae named Tamsin to save Nadia for you."

"TAMSIN?!"

Bo blinked at Lauren's cry. Behind them, Nadia and Ciara stared at them as well until Lauren gave them a small smile and waved them away. "Yeah... you know her?" Bo looked confused and a little wary.

"Yes. Well, kind of. It's complicated."

That probably was not the right thing to say since it was only recently in this timeline that it had been revealed that she had a 'secret' girlfriend in the shape of Nadia, but she doubted Bo would jump so quickly to assume that she had another girlfriend in Tamsin.

Lauren let out a sigh and managed to smile genuinely at Bo who had really done nothing wrong. She had, after all, thought Lauren would be happy. "Thank you, Bo. Truly. I'll need to talk to Nadia now though." She paused and her brow furrowed. "Have you spoken to Dyson or Kenzi recently?"

"What? Oh, well I saw Kenzi this morning (still asleep). Dyson helped me get this mask in order to free Nadia," Bo nodded. "Why?"

Obviously, Bo didn't know about Dyson's returned love yet. "Maybe you should talk to Dyson." Lauren looked over her shoulder and her eyes met Nadia's. "And I think I need to talk to Nadia."

(-)(-)(-)

Talking to Nadia was awkward but the other woman couldn't be said to be slow. After Bo and Ciara had left, she had sat up, looked Lauren directly in the eyes and asked bluntly whether the blonde had moved on with someone else.

Lauren gaped at her silently.

Nadia wrinkled her nose in thought. "Was it that blonde that was with you? She was actually very nice, but I never knew she was your type."

"No," Lauren finally managed to sputter, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Lauren had really only been prepared herself to meet the terrifying anger and scattered confusion that was the Nadia who had been possessed by the Garuda. Now, though, she remembered that the Nadia who had woken up from the Garuda the last timeline was not this Nadia.

This was the Nadia she had loved once upon a time without a Garuda possession. She had always been rather blunt. "Well then..." Nadia said, starting to smile. "I had time to think about it while Bo brought me here." Nadia nervously fiddled with a lock of her curly hair. "She told me that you spent five years searching on how to cure me." Nadia laughed slightly. "And then I just... wake up! How's that?" She stood up and moved to the spot on the couch that Lauren was on, her eyes gleaming. "I know things have changed. But if there isn't anyone else..." Nadia started to lean in slowly, watching Lauren for any sign of retreat.

Lauren's eyes dropped to Nadia's approaching lips and then moved back up to her eyes. It would be so easy to have someone who clearly loved her, especially since this Bo had Dyson but...

"I can't," Lauren whispered, closing her eyes.

Nadia drew back. "So there is someone?" she asked dejectedly. "I thought you said there wasn't."

Lauren responded with a humorless smile. "There is... someone. But she has someone." Lauren hesitated. "And even if I don't count her, I'm... involved in something now. Something I can't tell you about. It's better that way."

"You're deep in something that you can't tell me about," Nadia clarified, a question embedded in her tone.

"It would be safer for you if you didn't know," Lauren said quietly.

"Are you sure you can't tell me what trouble you're wrapped up in?" Nadia pushed. "We can run away together."

Lauren reached out a hand to tilt Nadia's face so their eyes met. Pushing every ounce of sincerity she could, Lauren stated, "I have to stay. The person I love is part of it." She smiled apologetically when Nadia made a face at the mention of a person Lauren loved. "You'll be in a lot of danger if I tell you anything. It would be better if you left and forgot all about me."

Nadia gave a lopsided smile. "Impossible."

"I can contact your parents," Lauren continued. "Tell them that you woke up and you can stay with them. You can integrate back into society and not contact me again."

Nadia's face fell. "Of course you're being serious," she muttered. Oh, how she wanted to rage against what Lauren was doing. "Five years." Lauren looked at her curiously but Nadia ignored the look and continued, "I have lost five years of my life. One moment I was with my girlfriend who I loved in the Congo and then I wake up to find that she's hung up over someone who loves someone else and she also wants me to break up all ties with her." Nadia stood up and crossed her arms. "Everything is unfamiliar and there's only _you_... And you've changed too."

"I do still love you," Lauren murmured, causing Nadia to deflate slightly. "But I've had years to move on..."

"Yeah..." Nadia sighed. "Is she at least pretty?"

Lauren chuckled. "She's beautiful." Her eyes softened.

"But she's not yours."

"...No she's not."

Carefully, Nadia sat down again next to Lauren, turned, and hugged the blonde. At first, Lauren was tense, but she awkwardly managed to pat her (ex?)girlfriend on the back. Lauren buried her face into Nadia's shoulder. "Well, she doesn't know what she's missing," Nadia said fiercely.

* * *

A/N: About the final conversation with Nadia: I was thinking that in canon events, Nadia woke up and was immediately comforted by Lauren. Basically, Lauren jumped straight back into their relationship and Nadia followed because she didn't know better. In this version of events, Nadia had time to actually process the reality that five years of being in a coma brings. Since she then realizes that she doesn't quite have a claim on Lauren, she won't be as clingy either (at least in a romantic sense). However, Lauren _is _the only person she's familiar with she's going to stick closely to the doctor until she leaves.

On another note, each chapter keeps getting longer than I plan and then I have to move stuff on my outline to the next chapter. The events in this chapter should've been occurring 2 chapters ago. Not sure if that's good or not...


	8. Chapter 8

Avarenda: "Unintentional succubus wooing" is the best phrase ever. XD Very fitting!

osixtytwo: Oh gosh, you're making me blush. I'm glad I managed to evoke sympathy for future!Bo though I hope I'm balancing it with enough darkness to show that how she is isn't something that Lauren or any one of her friends want her to be. Nadia's situation is strange because they're adults and I feel like because she had time to compute, she is more able to distance herself from the situation. At the same time, there are lingering issues and history get over. Nadia's definitely trying to be Zen but hey, she's human. Thanks for another long review!

Mpackett: I'm glad you think so! I'll try to keep at longer chapters but no promises :P

kyoshiob69: I've never watched Mai Otome so I have no idea haha

Anon: Lauren and Bo have this utterly frustrating habit of sacrificing everything for each other. I'd like to say that love is actually not the main key to solving the future events. It may play a role, but as it stands, the future Bo has shown that she may love Lauren with all her might, but that doesn't stop her from being, well, kinda evil.

anna. paige79: I just had to introduce Tamsin early. ;P I'm glad you like all this!

Spyklv: Haha, Lauren's obliviousness is a bit frustrating isn't it? I do hope that her actions actually make sense to other people though instead of only to herself because what's fueling Lauren is one of the main tenants of support for the actual DyBo ship: that is, the age thing and how Dyson can just survive longer than Lauren. It's a _logical_ reason to support those two, but as it is, Lauren's gotta learn that love has nothing to do with logic. And your second paragraph: yes! And good questions! (Won't answer them just yet, but... glad you're thinking about them!)

cheekymadom: I have no clue. I highly doubt Kenzi's gonna be gone because. BO'S. HEART. But Hale... And Tamsin is one of my top characters though surprisingly I'm not much for Valkubus. I think it has to do that pretty much the first time we saw her she poured coffee all over Dyson's desk... hm...

A/N: Aaarrghhh! This chapter was utterly frustrating and I'm sorry for the long wait. It was just one of those where I knew exactly what I wanted but the words just didn't flow right. Ugh. I didn't even want to bring myself to read over this chapter again to edit any major flaws that popped out but I managed to force myself... Though it made you guys wait longer. Sorry!

* * *

Past Imperfect Chapter 7

The first thing Lauren decided to do was go shopping in order to outfit Nadia and acclimate her to society like the many technological advances in recent years. Lauren was going to be cutting Nadia out of her life, but that didn't mean she wouldn't do everything in her power to make sure the woman would actually survive and thrive in the new climate. Not to mention, getting her new things was a fine way to say farewell. It probably would've been a rather simple ordeal too if it weren't for the sudden and surprising entrance of the one and only Kenzi into the apartment.

Lauren blinked at the now open door and Kenzi shrugged sheepishly at Lauren's head (the couch hid the rest of the doctor's body). It wasn't her fault the doc had terrible locks for her doors. "Yes I've heard of knocking," the shorter girl announced.

"...Well thanks for knocking," came the rather sarcastic rejoinder. "So did you need something?"

"Oh, right. SO, as you know, Bobo's surprise birthday party is VERY SOON. As in, tomorrow soon, so are you up to going shopping and stuff with me? Hale's got the cake, my cousin is getting the party favors, and I just need to find decorations and maybe I'll come across something good for our Bo."

"Your Bo?"

Kenzi and Lauren's heads snapped up to the stairs where Nadia was stepping down after having gone to take a shower and change into some of Lauren's clothes until she could get her own. "Um, who're you?" Kenzi asked with her eyes suspiciously taking in what Nadia was wearing.

Lauren looked flustered as she glanced at Nadia's suddenly darkened expression and Kenzi's own rapid glancing between the two of them. "Kenzi, this is Nadia-" Kenzi inhaled sharply "-And Nadia, this is Kenzi."

Nadia's face was smoothed out as she greeted Kenzi. "Nice to meet you Kenzi," she said, though none of the others could tell whether she truly meant her words or not. She didn't sound fake but neither did she sound entirely genuine. "So... 'your' Bo?" Lauren saw Nadia's eyes turn to her to gauge her reaction and kept her face calm though her heart began to speed up slightly. It seemed that Nadia suspected. And no matter how accepting the woman was, her eyes still gleamed with subtle jealousy and suspicion.

Kenzi either ignored or was unaware of the underlying discussion and instead just nodded. "My BFF Bo. So I suppose you're too busy for the shopping?" The last part was aimed at Lauren and to Lauren's surprise, she thought she detected a hint of disappointment in the younger woman's words.

"No, I can come," she hastened to assure her. "We'll need to drop by some clothing stores for Nadia, but if you're okay with going with both of us we can go." Then, slowly, Lauren raised one eyebrow as a thought struck her. "And just how much money do you have to spend anyways?"

"Excuse me," Kenzi replied affronted. "Are you implying that I wanna shop with you so that you can pay for some stuff out of the kindness of your heart? ...Because that is absolutely true."

Lauren laughed. "Speaking of kindness and money, maybe..." Now the doctor looked hesitant. "Can we invite Ciara as well?" The reason she wanted to invite the fairy wasn't a selfish one to freeload money off of the billionaire but rather because Lauren had remembered that the other woman had, in fact, invited her at one point during their drinking to spend time together. The fairy was undoubtedly lonely and since she would (hopefully) also be going to the birthday party, they could make it a group gathering for Bo.

"Didn't know you two were now friends..." Kenzi sounded curious while Nadia watched on with her own mildly interested expression. Then Kenzi shrugged. "But I suppose you talked to her after what... happened... with Dyson?"

Lauren agreed with a mute nod and then changed the subject. She contacted Ciara who happily agreed to meet up with the trio. While not exactly happy with Dyson (or Bo for the matter), the compassionate woman still looked forward to being with friends and preparing for Bo's birthday. Bo had technically done nothing wrong and Ciara couldn't blame her for anything even if it hurt.

Within the next half-hour, the four of them were walking through a bustling mall. Shopping with the other three had been slightly worrisome for Lauren at first, especially in regards to Nadia and Kenzi. Lauren had no expectations with Ciara as they had barely ever interacted before and the fairy seemed nice. With Nadia however, there was new territory overshadowed by their breakup. And of course there was Kenzi with whom Lauren had built a strong friendship over the years but in this world they had barely exchanged a few sharp and disapproving words until recently. Luckily, Lauren's worry that she might slip up had eased away as time passed.

Nadia was looking around the mall with interest. Some things hadn't changed much, but some, like certain pieces of technology, had obviously leapt ahead. And really, Nadia hadn't been to a mall for a while even before the coma. Doing photography in the Congo didn't exactly lend to time or the chance to go to sparkling shopping centers. And this one was definitely sparkling. There was even a large fountain in the middle of the plaza with a few scattered pennies at the bottom of the relatively blue water despite a sign requesting people to not throw coins in.

Ciara meanwhile looked slightly disappointed that Lauren and Kenzi had vetoed her suggestion to go to her own usual shops. The latter had been a tad more blunt about it, saying something about only having enough money to buy dust bunnies from those stores as opposed to actually being able to purchase something at their current location. At least Kenzi had finally deigned to talk to the fairy when in the beginning she had maintained a slightly guilty and stony silence when it came to Ciara. The fairy had offered to just buy everything for them but Lauren had cut in, shaking her head and just suggested that they put Ciara's shopping for maybe later.

"Won't Bo be suspicious that we're all going out like this without her?" Ciara wondered to the group as they browsed a clothing store that was relatively quieter than the outside's hustle and bustle.

Kenzi lowered a pair of bright pajamas sporting tacos and little speech bubbles exclaiming words like "Yum!" to shake her head in response to Ciara's question. "Nah. She's been busy helping Trick for something that's coming up next week. Something about a moon? But yeah. She's def distracted."

Ciara nodded in understanding.

"Kenzi, put that down—no!" Lauren smacked the girl's hand lightly as she tried to sneak in the pajamas into the stack of clothes to get for Nadia.

"Why?" Kenzi whined, a look of pathetic innocence pasted onto her face. "I think it's perfect."

"That's-I mean—honestly—" Lauren sputtered in disbelief, eyeing a speech bubble conveniently lingering near the ass area of the pants saying, "Eat me!"

Nadia eyed a similar speech bubble on the back of the pajama top. "I rather like it," she mused. "It's... cute."

"And I mean..." Kenzi lowered her voice as her eyebrows began to waggle suggestively. "I thought you want to eat her taco."

It was obviously a light-hearted joke but the memory of their breakup was still fresh and Lauren threw a concerned glance at Nadia before settling for rolling her eyes and giving a small smile at Kenzi. "If you were so hungry, why didn't you say so? How about you and Nadia continue picking out clothes? I'll just look around the nearby shops for something for Bo and then grab some food for us," she suggested calmly. When there were no protests, the blonde departed from the racks of clothing.

Left behind, Kenzi was looking a tad confused and worried that she had driven Lauren away. Ciara was also looking after Lauren with concern and made as if to follow her. "Wait, where are you going?" Kenzi asked before the fairy could leave. The fairy had seemed pretty nice so far, but as a firm Team Bo supporter, Kenzi couldn't help but feel slightly irked by her presence. Kenzi wasn't paranoid enough to think that Ciara was out to steal all of Bo's lovers but then again, there had been Dyson and now there was this thing with Lauren...

"I want to make sure that she'll be okay..."

Kenzi couldn't fault Ciara for that sentiment. "Maybe I should go then?" she wondered guiltily. Nadia stopped them by knowingly interjecting that she had the feeling that the doctor wanted just a little space for a while. Then she distracted them by directing them towards a small section of the shop lined with shoes.

Outside, Lauren looked around until a sign caught her eye and she unconsciously stepped closer. It was aptly and unoriginally named "The Flower Shop" and Lauren wandered towards it as an idea popped into her mind.

She entered the shop and immediately inhaled the scent of what felt like hundreds of flowers. They weren't overwhelming, but it was jarring considering the clearer air of the outside. A single bored-looking teenage girl perked up at the sight of a customer from her position behind the counter. "Hello!" She greeted with a small smile.

"Hello," Lauren returned, still looking around before turning her attention on the girl. "I was wondering if you do deliveries?"

"Sure do," the girl nodded. "What flowers are you getting and do you want to add a message?"

"I'd like it delivered to..." Lauren trailed away and the girl helpfully pushed a pad and pen across the counter for Lauren to scribble down an address. "And it should be delivered to Dyson with the message 'Give these flowers to Bo and tell her you love her you idiot.'"

The teenager looked surprised and entertained by Lauren's message but didn't comment and just nodded. "Alright. So what flowers?"

At this, Lauren paused as she looked around once more. She had not considered anything in detail and now that she was faced with a huge variety of choices. The doctor knew that flowers had meanings behind them but she had never really looked into that topic and she frowned at the idea of sending the wrong message with her choice of flowers. Then again, this was only for Dyson so maybe she should just go with roses...?

"Getting flowers for Bo?"

Lauren practically jumped out of her skin and she whirled, about to grab her assailant's arm to flip them over before both the words and the identity of her "attacker" registered. "Ciara," Lauren gasped, immediately letting go of her arm and relaxing her stance. She had not heard Ciara over the muffled background buzz of noise from outside. "Oh—well—the flowers—" Lauren stopped her stammering and took a breath, easing the adrenaline in her veins as memories of attacks a lifetime away were methodically locked into a mental box again. "They're kind of for Bo," Lauren explained, looking back at the flowers to avoid the fairy's curious gaze. "I'm trying to get Dyson to tell her she got her love back—Oh god," Lauren stopped again, horror tainting her words as she looked at Ciara who, after all, had been the most hurt by the subject matter. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that..."

A pained smile was her only response for a minute and both of them looked turned to look at the flowers rather than each other. Luckily their discussion and subsequent awkward silence went unheard by anyone else as the cashier was currently plugged in and bobbing her head to some unheard music while she waited.

"It's okay," Ciara finally said softly. "I get that you just want Bo to be happy and honestly I want Dyson to be happy too. It just... hurts a bit too much to be doing what you're doing." She smiled wryly. "Why are you working so hard to get them together anyways?"

Lauren froze in the midst of bending down to sniff at a random bouquet. "Because..." she said slowly, mind racing as she considered her reasons. Finally she opted for an easy and dismissive, almost joking answer but she made the mistake of looking at Ciara and felt herself stutter at the genuine care and curiosity in her expression.

For years before she had died, Lauren had been a fighter. A general. She had been at Bo's side and taken down fae and human enemies alike with ease using both her smarts and her own developed physique. _Now look where I am_, Lauren thought ruefully as she felt her resolve quiver at what could be compared to puppy eyes, though Ciara wasn't actually trying to force Lauren into talking or anything serious. Maybe being in the past had softened her slightly, because even if the danger of the Garuda hung overhead, there was no guerilla war being fought and no constant danger of attack.

But Ciara invited truthfulness and Lauren absently lifted a random bunch of flowers as she seriously thought about her answer. But all she could remember was Bo's warm brown eyes and of shared moments both before her death and the one she had just recently experienced in the future. Despite how much she tried to forget or dismiss, Lauren was quickly realizing that Bo did, in fact love her... at least in the future. A future where Lauren had died. Lauren let out a huff of frustration. "I don't know," she announced. "Things are too confusing right now to explain." She turned a pleading gaze to Ciara, begging her not to push and the fairy nodded with a soft smile.

"Alright," Ciara accepted easily. Changing topics, she pointed at the flowers in Lauren's hands. "So are you getting these?"

Lauren glanced down at the flowers and read a brief description of them. She smiled slightly and then half-nodded, half-shrugged. They looked beautiful and didn't seem to have anything mutated. She went to the register and paid for the flowers and their delivery before exiting the shop with Ciara beside her.

"So now that that's done," Ciara said thoughtfully. "Food sounds like a fine idea. What would you like to eat?"

Lauren blinked and then smiled. The two blondes waved over Kenzi and Nadia from the clothes shop and then made their way towards the food courts discussing what to eat.

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren was sure her head was going to kill her from her rapidly developed headache. For the past hour or so, after a relaxing lunch, Ciara and Kenzi had not only warmed up to each other but also started quarrelling in a constant, high-speed stream of retorts and quips. Kenzi was warmed up and raring to go as she handed out jokes and comments while Ciara relatively calmly dealt back passive-aggressive sarcastic snipes. Lauren honestly had no idea why they were clashing so much.

Now they were arguing about where to go next and Nadia joined in on the bickering. Kenzi wanted to go to a shoe store while Ciara wanted to raid a jewelry store. Nadia wanted to stay forever in a digital store and stare at the rows of HD TV screens showing a variety of movies and shows. Lauren wanted to go out and stick her head in the fountain water until she drowned.

Luckily, she realized, checking the time, it was a good time as any to finish their shopping as she still had to go visit Trick. Taking charge, Lauren successfully managed to manipulate everyone to agreeing to end the shopping spree. The group parted ways first with Ciara and then with Nadia when Lauren dropped the woman off at her apartment with the instructions to pack up her new clothes and prepare for a trip after Bo's birthday. The faster Nadia was out of the city and danger, the better.

Kenzi stuck around though, deciding to go visit the Dal with Lauren and so it was that the two humans entered the room talking about birthday party favors. Lauren had vaguely recalled something about cat statues from the previous time and was trying to figure out how on earth Kenzi had gotten her hands on them without revealing what she knew. Kenzi was keeping her planned party favors close to her chest though and was refusing to reveal what they were or where she was getting them.

"Ah, Lauren," Trick spoke up as he lowered a glass that he'd been wiping down. "I've been meaning to talk to you—"

"Downstairs?" Lauren interrupted, throwing a pointed glance at Kenzi who had wandered over to Hale. The siren was sitting with his back to the door while reading something on a newspaper.

Trick nodded and the two of them made their way into his lair whereupon he turned around and surveyed her kindly. "You're looking tired," he noted. "Have you been sleeping?"

If by sleeping he meant running around in the future while her body apparently destroyed itself without her bracelet... "Sure," Lauren answered with a sardonic smile. "Anyways, you wanted to talk to me?" She was tensing up slightly, prepared to face a flood of questions and interrogation about the Garuda, but not prepared to answer.

"I haven't found anything on that bracelet yet," Trick began lightly, throwing her off. "But apparently taking it off gave you a vision that we are going to face the Garuda...?" Ah, there it was.

"We just need to find its lair," she interjected eagerly. Trick had found it last time through a mole. "It has followers that we could find out and get the truth from. Also," here she paused and ran her mind through a checklist of what was left for her to do before the big battle. "I can get Naga venom hopefully-" Lachlan "-and soon Nadia will be safely off to her family or a friend-" Lauren slowed down when she remembered another important factor: team unity. "But then..." How could she get Bo's blood binding... and could she risk it? The Garuda had been the first step. The starting taste of power that had awoken the Queen succubus had come from that very battle. But how could she unify the team enough to kill the Garuda first...?

_I could go alone_, she thought seriously but then Trick spoke up again. "Naga venom?" Trick looked skeptical. "Lauren," he began with a fatherly condescension that set the doctor's teeth on edge. "Are you sure you were seeing into the future? The Garuda has been deemed extinct and the Naga is so rare it might as well be."

"I know what I saw," Lauren replied darkly. "No—don't tell me I'm mistaken," she added firmly when Trick opened his mouth. "It was definitely a vision of the future. Time is of the essence and we have to take action before the Garuda spreads its influence even further."

Trick sighed, still looking dubious. "At least wait a week for me," he said pleadingly as if expecting Lauren would march out and start hunting the Garuda then and there. Well, she had considered it, but that wasn't the point. "There is an upcoming time called the Blood Moon where I can divine this future to make sure you're right," Trick added, distracting Lauren from her mental pouting.

Lauren jolted at the remembrance of Trick's status and rapidly considered using _his_ blood to unify the group before shuddering at the thought of having a person of his power turning dark. "Hmm," she replied in a way that could be construed as agreement before letting her eyes fall on some of Trick's books.

"If you want me to wait, can I help you search in your books?" Lauren asked, keeping her tone idle. Trick hesitated, obviously reluctant. "If the Garuda warning turns out to be false, all that will have happened is that I wasted some of _my_ time learning about an extinct species," she subtly pushed. It wasn't like she could do anything else apart from getting Lachlan's venom, which she would rather do in a few hours. He was still the Ash, and instead of interrupting his work, it would be better to confront him in his after hours.

Trick let out a sigh and waved his hand in acquiescence.

(-)(-)(-)

It was a dream. It had to be. Because Lauren could remember clearly that she had never pulled off her bracelet and that she had been just hunched over piles of dusty tomes. Her tired eyes had drooped and then...

She had opened her eyes to the future.

Unlike the previous times, she was not in her body. She was floating around like a ghost over Bo's shoulder. Bo who was stalking through the verdant landscape that surrounded the succubus' estate.

It was around the same general area that Lauren had collapsed previously, but time had obviously passed as the sky gleamed not with sunlight but with scattered stars and the reflected light of the gibbous moon. Despite being bodiless and tied to Bo's body like a balloon, Lauren could make use of her senses of smell and hearing along with her sight. And... Lauren reached forward to hesitantly tap Bo's shoulder. _Nope_... Her sense of touch seemed to be limited only to the general feel of the air rather than direct contact with truly solid objects. The doctor decided not to test whether or not her sense of taste stayed with her in this dream-like form. Mainly that was because her only possible "test subjects" would be the passing trees, the ground, or Bo.

...She could almost hear Kenzi's jokes about that last choice now.

There was no sudden jolt, but the scenery began to blur and Lauren turned startled eyes to Bo. The succubus was running through the pathway paved through the gardens, dragging the ghostly Lauren along. She was by no means running at superhero speeds, but Lauren estimated that it was probably at least record-breaking and it was rather disorienting being tugged along and feeling a vague rushing sensation _through_ her body as they moved.

They arrived at a garage and Lauren barely had time to catch a brief glimpse of several cars in the large space before Bo slid into the driver's spot of a sleek, expensive-looking black one. Lauren blinked as her position over Bo's shoulder shifted and she was suddenly on the passenger side. The vehicle purred as it started up and then Bo was shooting out onto the road.

Minutes later, the car was parked at the edge of the city and Bo stepped out. She was met by a shadowy figure who looked her over before nodding and turning back into a little booth that stood next to the road to the city. If Lauren had legs, she was pretty sure she would've fallen over at the sight that greeted her from her position over Bo's shoulder again. The city was... dark.

Even in the dead of night, the city usually gleamed with streetlights and the random car as well as the nocturnal members of society who kept their lights on in their rooms, creating sporadic spots of light every so often from various windows. But here, there were no lights.

But what the city lacked in lights it made up in noise. The streets echoed with a rhythmic cadence of footsteps like marching. It soon turned out to actually be from marching: patrols. They came in groups of three or four armed figures and only paused a brief moment at the sight of Bo before continuing on. They were uniformed, wielding rifles, and seemed to be human. After they passed, they left an undercurrent of pained groans and quiet whimpers that floated in from the shadowy overhangs of some buildings. When Lauren peered into those shadows she saw starved figures huddled in blankets or struggling desperately but pathetically with each other. Using sight alone, the doctor judged these beings to be fae. If she was right, then it seemed that humans were in control of the city and didn't care a whit for fae though they also acknowledged some sort of subservience to Bo.

There was a strange clacking noise and Lauren turned to see Bo use an arm to sweep aside a curtain of beads that hung over a doorway. Inside the room were shelves, hanging plants, and a few red and gold portraits of what looked like Chinese characters. There was also a woman with silky black hair that fell in loose curls down her back. "Luduan," Bo said sharply, causing the woman to look at her and Lauren to realize what the woman was. A Luduan was a fae that sought the truth and could make others speak the truth when they snapped their fingernails together. "I require your services."

From the woman's expression, she was not amused at being referred to as only her species but she did not respond in any other way but nodding. "Who do you need me to interrogate?" she asked. Dao-Ming was used to random requests to do so as they were her "payment" for Bo and her forces to leave her relatively alone. Still, the Luduan was curious because her services of forcing out the truth from those people Bo captured were rarely asked for. Most people could not stand Bo's seduction techniques and fewer still could withstand both that and the ensuing pain if they didn't give in. Bo also preferred to keep the knowledge she held close to her chest rather than letting someone like Dao-Ming handle it.

"Me."

Dao-Ming's jaw dropped. Lauren fluttered around with the little amount of movement she could actually control. Bo stood there fiercely, one hand in a pocket.

"What do you need to know?"

Bo's pocketed hand withdrew, clenched tight in a fist that she had to force herself to let go of. Within it was a piece of paper that she threw at the Luduan. Lauren couldn't see what was written on it from her spot but Dao-Ming read it out loud anyways. "You know who killed her."

"That." Bo said simply. "Was left behind by the former Morrigan." Her eyes glowed angrily. "If she is telling the truth, then there might be a memory block on me."

"That's easy enough to test," the Luduan said thoughtfully. She did not question who the "her" was and Lauren wondered whether her death and its effects were that well known even among strange fae like these. Then Dao-Ming's eyes sharpened their focus on the succubus. "Do you know who killed Lauren?"

_Snap_. "I know who killed Lauren."

But there had been no struggle for Bo to answer that question. No forceful prodding had been required to reveal that truth. There was no memory block. Lauren unconsciously drifted forward, unaware that her tether to the back of the succubus had seemingly broken. Instead, the ghostly human floated around to see an expression of dawning horror on Bo's face.

"Then who killed her?" Dao-Ming asked. _Snap_.

"It was-"

"Tamsin, what news do you have?" Lauren felt dizzy as the scenery around her changed into a large, relatively open warehouse. No, changed was the wrong word. That implied a transition. Instead, it just popped into existence. One second she was with Bo and the next she was here. The speaker, Dyson, was crouched among stacks of boxes while facing the Valkyrie. He looked wary as he peered around. "How is Bo reacting after failing to get us?"

The Valkyrie in question looked worn as she gazed at the shifter. "I haven't told Bo where your new hideout is, so calm your tits wolf," she gibed with some of her old fire. She followed up by whirling and sending a whizzing metal something through Lauren and into a second stack of boxes that shifted from the force of the now impaled weapon. It hung quivering perhaps an inch away from Kenzi's pale face. Despite how drawn the human looked, there were no signs of bags under her eyes nor starvation to the degree Lauren had seen before.

_A different future?_ Lauren pondered as Kenzi's expression became faux outraged. "Excuse me. I thought you were our inside source on Bo, not the one trying to kill us." It was a flat attempt at a joke considering who they were actually up against.

"You two can't even face me alone when I'm not here to harm you," Tamsin sighed. "Listen up: One, Lauren's alive." At this, Kenzi and Dyson exchanged shocked and confused glances. Since they had never gotten captured and taken to the estate, they never witnessed Lauren being up and about. "Second, I know you're trying to recruit the practically-dead fae off the streets, but the former Morrigan is planning something and you may be able to band up with her, but if you do, be careful. Who knows what's going on in that bitch's mind."

"I don't think the ritual was supposed to resurrect Lauren," Kenzi said faintly, moving forward to sink down beside Dyson.

"Right. The ritual. You never explained it. I guess it didn't work?"

"Doesn't seem like it..." Kenzi heaved a sigh and Dyson spoke up equally wearily.

"You should probably head back to wherever you should be. We don't want Bo to get suspicious. Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can track down Evony."

(-)(-)(-)

The dream—was it a dream?—stayed on Lauren's mind long after her abrupt return to consciousness. Unluckily, it, like most dreams faded away quickly, leaving only lingering images and feelings but no true details. She wasn't even sure if it was a real vision of the future because she still had on her bracelet. The thoughts swirled around her head even as she walked into the Light Compound up to the Ash's room and then walked into Bo about to chop the Naga's head off as he knelt on the floor.

Before Lauren could react in any way, Bo averted her sword to the side in disgust, proclaiming that she was "not in the killing business." _As opposed to how you are in the future_, a small voice in the back of Lauren's head snipped. _But I'm going to change that damnit._

Bo kicked Lachlan fiercely and leveled her sword at him. "But I don't mind a little justice from time to time." She turned and started to leave when she finally caught a glimpse of Lauren and she actually froze with one foot in the air. Her expression was a mix of a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar and of a deer in headlights.

"Ah, Doctor Lewis..." Sometimes, Lachlan's unflappability could be really irritating. "Perhaps you can help me? I think we need to have a little chat with Bo."

In the following "chat," Lachlan explained about the Garuda causing Bo to throw her a look of—what was that? Pride, maybe— and a quick comment of "I knew you were telling the truth about the Garuda thing" that warmed Lauren's insides. The current Ash continued by talking about how his actions to anger Bo were all part of a test to see if she were worthy to be his champion. While mostly reasonable, Lauren couldn't help but be skeptical: she didn't see how a single decision to not cut off his head in a fit of anger was a determining factor in Champion-hood. After all, no one had gone around calling _her_ a champion for not snapping and murdering Lachlan herself in either timeline. Lauren didn't particularly care though, and Bo herself looked unhappy at the designation.

When the subject of his venom came up, Lauren spoke up at last, ignoring how Bo's frequent glances in her direction during Lachlan's speech changed to become a singular almost uncomfortable stare while she talked. "Your venom is why I came here, actually," Lauren prefaced. "We need to prepare for the fighting the Garuda, whether it will attack us or the other way around. The sooner we are prepared the better, so I'd like to get venom from you for as long as possible and prepare methods to fight the Garuda with."

"Are you sure my venom will last?" Lachlan cautioned, his eyes alight with interest. "There's a reason my brothers' venom was on the market so quickly after their deaths."

"Yes," Lauren nodded absently, remembering clearly the epiphany she had received a lifetime ago. "I can make it last."

It was almost too easy how Lauren expertly collected the venom while Bo watched. The vials were filled, capped, and slipped into her lab coat for putting into stasis as soon as possible. Lachlan even let her take her leave again without asking further questions whether they be about his venom or about her lackluster effort in actually appearing for work though mostly that was his own fault in keeping her out of the lab. Lauren looked at Bo and then jerked her head slightly in a question. Bo nodded and moved to follow her.

The smoothness of what had just occurred was such that Lauren was not surprised at all when the other shoe dropped down in the form of Evony. "Oh honey, just the person I wanted to see," she cooed as Lauren nearly ran into her outside the door.

Behind Lauren, Bo let out a soft growl. "Is it even allowed for you to keep showing up here? Especially after what you tried to do with-" there was the briefest pause "-Nadia?"

"What did she try to do with Nadia?" Lauren demanded, reaching inside her coat to grip the handle of a dagger she had recently purchased to keep at her side. Coming from a future where the two sides of fae were at war in all but name meant she felt much safer with a weapon at her side, though she much preferred a gun. As it was, a gun would create too many questions so a dagger would have to do.

"Please," the Leanan sídhe drawled, extending the second syllable as she lifted an eyebrow knowingly at Lauren's hand. The doctor hesitated and then let go of the dagger to cross her arms over her chest and resort to just staring daggers at the Morrigan who continued, "I'm the one who helped you save that girl from the curse." Her lip curled when Bo coughed. Loudly. "...Along with that annoying succubus."

"...Thank you?" Lauren offered when Evony didn't continue.

"Oh you're welcome my dear." So much condescension and arrogance poured into a simple phrase. What was worse was that Lauren knew that many fae held that same opinion (maybe not as loudly) in regards to humans. At least Evony treated everyone with the same lack of respect. Lauren might as well be as useful to her as her secretary. "I'm here to offer you a position as a doctor for the Dark Fae." Or not.

"Are you _seriously_ doing this inside the Light Compound and right outside my door?" Lachlan asked incredulously as he stuck his head out the door.

Evony looked completely unrepentant. "No time like the present," she smirked. Then she winked lasciviously. "Speaking of presents... I'll add a little extra piece of knowledge since I know you and the succubus-" "I have a name," Bo grumbled. "-like to go about saving the day. There's a lovely beauty clinic that's going on that may or may not be stealing the life from humans in order to run."

Lauren kept her face calm but mentally she felt like tearing her hair out in confusion. For one, Evony had just revealed her objective of wanting Lauren as part of the Dark Fae. Lauren also knew that the other woman was smart enough to know that showing what she wanted would put Lauren at an advantage. Just what was the Morrigan playing at? And the extra piece of "information" seemed rather useless in the long run... "I'll keep that in mind," the doctor chose to reply diplomatically.

"Wonderful. Keep in touch, dear. I'm sure you know where to find me if you need me."

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren got home in a daze and wandered upstairs while rubbing her temples. Evony had stayed behind after their chat to bother Lachlan while Bo had gone along with Lauren with an adorably worried expression that Lauren would have tried to address if it weren't for her distraction. Time travel was annoying business especially when people didn't act as they were supposed to.

The blonde was so out of it, she didn't even notice Nadia standing up from the couch and facing a worried Bo who was hovering behind in the doorway. The two brunettes noticed each other very quickly however.

Bo hadn't seen Lauren and Nadia interact much as she had tried to stay out of sight after returning the two humans to each other. Still, in the brief glimpses she had seen of them together, both awake and even when Nadia was comatose, Bo saw Lauren's hard edges soften. The doctor always held herself together with a seemingly brittle shell but whenever Bo saw that façade fall, she saw a fiercely protective spirit and an inner compassion. In the past few weeks, after the body switch, Lauren's mask had been stronger than ever, but Bo sometimes saw that self control falter.

When Lauren thought Bo wasn't looking or wasn't there (and didn't that hurt, that Lauren was hiding something from her) the mask would sometimes shift. This doctor loved Nadia in the way Bo had loved Kyle. But she also loved Bo and Bo was not unaware of how the mask would harden, but her aura would glow whenever the succubus was around. But there was something holding her back, and Bo wondered if it was Nadia or something else entirely.

Nadia herself had taken one look at Bo's expression and immediately known in the way that some knowledge just _happens_ that she was a person who loved Lauren. And maybe even the one that Lauren loved. The Lauren she had known five years ago was certainly someone who could possibly be oblivious enough to miss the signs that the one she loved reciprocated her feelings.

Pasting a smile on her face, Nadia walked forward and saw the way the other's expression darkened. There was a lingering resentment that swam around in her gut as they sized each other up. "So are you the one who stole Lauren's heart?" She meant to sound joking but it came out more resigned. Angry.

Bo blinked and then gave a small, sad smile. "I'm no threat to you," she said, though she knew that wasn't the full truth. But then again, while she knew Lauren still maintained her love—attraction—to her, Lauren also maintained a frosty distance from her. "No threat at all."

Lies.

(-)(-)(-)

The knowledge about the life-stealing beauty operation that Evony provided was not as altruistic as she tried to make it seem. A little digging and Lauren realized that the culprits were fae called Serket and their actions were actually out of the ordinary for their type of fae who normally preferred to give life. Even more, their scheme also seemed to be under the radar as there were no forms or paperwork about their work and no taxes paid for their profits—which was probably why the Morrigan wanted them to be taken care of.

Of course, it wasn't like Bo would refuse. Once she knew what was going on, she had practically run out the door, prepared to just crash into the place. Lauren had barely managed to leave a message for Nadia to find when she woke up. It seemed that the other woman had decided to sleep in for some reason.

Lauren caught up to Bo and knocked on her shoulder, causing her to slow down. "Are you just going to barge in and threaten them to make them stop?" she asked rhetorically. The likelihood of that strategy succeeding was about as likely as the Garuda deciding to make worldwide peace.

"We're just going in and getting a handle of the situation," Bo answered off-handedly.

"We?" Lauren couldn't help the surprise that colored her tone. It made sense though—this Bo had never had the time or opportunity to become overwhelmingly overprotective of her.

"Unless... you don't want to go with me?" Bo asked awkwardly. _I knew she was avoiding me, but to go this far...?_ she wondered, feeling hurt.

"No! I mean, yes. I mean—I want to go with you," Lauren hastened to assure Bo.

Bo seemed to accept that, or at least was unwilling to dispute that statement as they drove to the clinic and talked to a pleasant and obviously lying woman named Hessa with tan skin and straight brown hair who claimed that their "business" safely used old family secret techniques to rejuvenate customers. Lauren took charge during their conversation at the cost of Bo's feet when she had to step on the succubus' toes to stop her from speaking out and revealing their knowledge. Then she dragged Bo away and outside the door when she finished rather than let the succubus leap forward again.

"Lauren!" Bo hissed, limping slightly when they got outside. "That woman was obviously lying! And did you have to step on me so hard?"

"Sorry," Lauren winced. "But I was thinking it'd be better if we confronted them quietly..." She jerked her thumb at a gate that led to a back door into the building.

"Ah," Bo bobbed her head, still pouting slightly. "Good thinking." She took the lead when they walked in and found another woman with similar features to the one they talked to at the front desk, but with curlier hair and a hunched posture that Lauren recognized from her recent visions of the future Tamsin and her own old way of holding herself. Lauren stayed back, palming her dagger as Bo drew her own knife and asked, "Any chance for a walk-in appointment?" The woman turned, revealing an extremely old man on the medical chair and a line of equally aged bodies beyond. "I think we need to have a talk about what you're doing," Bo added.

The woman from earlier stepped into view and would have gotten Bo from behind if it weren't for Lauren leaping forward. In a few quick moves, Lauren had one of Hessa's arms twisted behind her back and locked into place and her dagger pressed softly against her neck. Bo turned and looked surprised but then she grinned, looking impressed. "Well I have to say this is a shaky interpretation of 'giving life' that Serket are supposed to do," Bo said, looking at the bodies in mingled horror and disgust.

"Of course we give life," the fae Lauren was holding insisted. "...To those who pay. The rest, well, they serve a different purpose."

"Are you on board with this?" Bo asked the quieter woman, lowering her knife slightly. "Killing innocent people so trophy wives could fit their bikinis bette-"

"It wasn't always like this," she burst out. "We used to just... take a few years at a time."

"Shut up Lana."

In response, Lauren pushed her dagger in slightly. Not enough to cut. Not yet. "I hope you realize that it's a human who has your life in her hands right now," she snarled into her ear.

Her threat was ignored. "My poor sister. So soft hearted..."

"Enough," Bo snapped. "Give them their years back, now!"

"I don't think so." Lana's sister sounded far too triumphant to be bluffing and Lauren tensed. "I believe you misread the situation here... A mere human can't hope to hold me."

A Serket's power to take or give life energy came from direct skin contact, usually near the neck where quite a lot of blood flowed through constantly. The neck wasn't their only option though—it only meant the drain was slower and weaker. So when fingers curled around her wrist—the one that had been splashed by whatever the Norn had bottled up—and poised over the arteries there, Lauren felt a brief feeling of emptiness throughout her body but then she was let go just as quickly as the feeling came and she staggered back in shock.

Hessa's eyes were curiously glazed over. "Come on, let's go," she ordered to Lana.

"Hey!" Bo threatened, moving forward to confront the older fae. Hessa tried to grab her and drain her too, but Bo easily dodged the movement and returned a swift blow to her back, sending the Serket reeling.

"This is all your fault," Hessa complained to Lana. "Why do I always have to fix with your messes? Go deal with the people."

Lana stood there, eyes moving between Lauren who was standing up again, a dazed-looking Hessa, and fiercely angry Bo but it seemed her obedience was stronger as she lowered her head and headed towards the bodies, trying to ignore everyone in the room. "Wow," Bo said, stopping her. "She runs you like a servant, huh?

"Lana knows her place," Hessa said smiling and seemingly unaware of Lauren crouching down beside her.

"How do you put up with it Lana?" Bo asked sympathetically. "Constantly being told what to do—Never living your own life?"

"Trapped?" Lauren offered, standing up and lifting an un-protesting Hessa with her. Whatever had happened to the Serket, she didn't seem to be much of a threat any longer. "You can choose your own path, especially when the one others force on you isn't good. For you or for others."

"What are you talking about?" Hessa asked. Her eyes were starting to sharpen into focus. "This isn't right-"

"No. They're right. I should have stood up to you years ago," Lana burst out fiercely, facing down her sister. Her fingers raised up to Hessa's neck and held steady even as her voice wavered with her next words: "I'm your little sister. You're supposed to take care of me. But instead you made me drain those kids so you could get rich."

Lauren reached up a hand but didn't touch Lana's own. Instead, she hovered her hand over the minutely shaking grip and waited for the Serket's attack to falter. Hessa fell to the floor in a motionless heap, knocked out but alive. "Thank you," Lana whispered. "I wasn't strong enough to do that by myself."

"You are now," Bo smiled.

"I'll fix them," Lana promised, motioning towards the people still lying behind them. Bo smiled and watched from a distance but Lauren couldn't help but move up beside the hospital-style beds and watch the wrinkled bodies return to youthfulness. As she made to walk past Bo to get to those beds, the succubus held out a hand and paused her movement. Lauren tensed up but kept her breathing steady as Bo turned her around and let her eyes roam Lauren's body for any sign of weakness or harm. When she relaxed, Lauren gently removed herself from Bo's grip and stepped next to Lana.

"What will you do after this?" Lauren asked. She was impressed by how the Serket handled the procedure and how she followed up with a thorough inspection of each person.

"I don't know," Lana shrugged.

"Your talents would be useful in the medical field," Lauren offered, seeing the gentle but sure way the Serket moved.

"We're... I'm Dark Fae," Lana whispered.

"We know," Lauren responded lightly. "It doesn't matter." Even without the foreknowledge of the Serket's side, Lauren had long since realized that the difference between Light and Dark was not much of a difference at all. In the future war between the two factions, the unaligned side led by Bo had been focused on peace and compromise that had resulted in surprisingly successful outcomes, not that it seemed to have mattered in the end. "Being Dark Fae won't have to change anything," Lauren added. "There are always those who require healing."

(-)(-)(-)

"SURPRISE!" Bo missed a step but then made her way into the clubhouse with a slow smile growing on her face as she took in the balloons, streamers, and many familiar faces throughout the room. She let out a laugh.

"Wow," she chuckled through a burst of music from Kenzi at the drums and an unfamiliar man with a guitar. "Did you know about this?" she addressed over her shoulder to Lauren who smiled in a way that caused Bo's smile to widen.

"Why else did I have you go along with me for the last several hours trying to help Lana set up her clinic? It was to distract you and you did have some good ideas like having her set up a spot at the divide between the two territories. She might be Dark, but she's open to helping all."

A loud cheer from the people in the building ended anything else they could have exchanged. They then began to approach Bo to hug and wish her a happy birthday starting with Hale. Lauren stepped to the side with an indulgent expression only to bump into a body and she turned to meet Nadia's bright eyes. "Kenzi gave me a ride here," the photographer explained, wrapping an arm around Lauren's and drawing her to a side table where a cat statue thing was waving its arm. It was one of many and Lauren stifled a laugh as she wondered what on earth could have possessed Kenzi to get it in either timeline.

The doctor leaned her back against the wall and furrowed her brow when Nadia refused to let go. Still, Nadia's sudden touchiness was only met with a mental shrug. Perhaps the other woman was just feeling worried about the fact that she would soon have to leave. "What did you do today?" Lauren asked conversationally. Nadia brightened and began talking about getting into contact with some old friend of hers for her to stay with but most of Lauren's attention drifted back to Bo who was chatting with Dyson still by the door.

As if sensing her gaze, Bo's eyes flicked towards her. Their eyes met and then Bo's gaze slid to Lauren's side where Nadia was. Lauren almost leapt out of her skin when Nadia responded by pressing closer to her and sliding her free hand from shoulder to elbow. Lauren turned her head to pin down Nadia with an unamused glower. "Nadia!"

"Hey, if she doesn't love you back, I'm not holding out for her," Nadia shot back. "Anyways, what's a friendly pat?"

"_That_," Lauren muttered, finally managing to pull away, "Was _not_ a friendly pat."

Nadia's mouth twisted into a scowl before it faded away and she let her head hang. "Sorry, Lauren. It's hard to remember that we're not together and, well..."

"...It's okay," Lauren soothed. They fell into an uneasy silence before Nadia muttered something about talking to Kenzi and drifted off to the exuberant girl's direction. Lauren turned her attention back to Bo to see that she had moved on to talking to Trick on the couch.

A cup suddenly filled her vision and Lauren averted her gaze to see Ciara offering her the drink. Lauren accepted it with a murmured thanks and Ciara settled down beside her with her own drink. Remembering that Ciara would still be dealing with the Dyson situation, Lauren offered her a sympathetic smile. "Are you... okay?" She winced internally at how lackluster her words were but Ciara heard the sentiment behind it.

"It still hurts," the fairy confided. "But we have spoken a little bit and taken a few steps past what happened." She hesitated and swirled her drink around with tiny wrist movements. "I may be imagining it, but sometimes it feels like he truly does love me as he did back when we were both part of the pack."

"I see," Lauren said softly, wondering what that would mean for her own plans to get Dyson and Bo together. "He is mated with Bo though..."

"Is that why you want them together?" Ciara wondered. "I understand that mating is for life. But I'm surprised you would let go of Bo for Dyson's happiness with his mate."

"I don't understand," Lauren said puzzled.

"Bo can be Dyson's mate, but he might not be hers."

Lauren fell silent. Thoughtful. Off by the food-filled counter, Trick met her gaze and motioned her over. Excusing herself from Ciara, Lauren walked over to him.

"Bo told me about Lachlan and that he verified what you said about the Garuda," Trick told her. "You were right." Lauren raised her eyebrow in a silent, _So?_ "I'll keep my ear to the ground to find where his base is. I don't want to ruin the party with this kind of talk so we can discuss plans later."

"I'll do my best to help," Lauren promised. She then looked over at where she had last seen Bo. The succubus was still there, but she was sitting alone while holding a strange bracelet. Lauren gave a brief nod to Trick and finally made her way over to the woman she loved. "Hey," she said.

Bo put down the bracelet and covered it with her hands half-heartedly. "Hey," she replied.

"I think it's time for me to give you my present," Lauren said, feeling highly self-conscious. She had the feeling that there were a few stares boring into her head but she managed to ignore them for the most part.

"Is it a weapon?" Bo asked lightly.

"Nope," Lauren replied equally casually. She had taken ages trying to find something that wasn't too generic but at the same time wouldn't hint at too much. Not that Lauren really knew what "too much" counted as. And then during the shopping Lauren had dropped her eyes to a very familiar necklace that she had never been able to give Bo in person in the last timeline. After that, she couldn't keep the piece of jewelry off her mind.

Last time she had left it in a drawer with the note "For giving me the freedom to love. And I do." Bo had found it sometime later herself because despite everything Lauren had never had the courage to actually give her the necklace. This time though, Lauren held out the box, her grip steady. There was no note this time, but when Bo lifted out the thin chain, her eyes brightened all the same.

When dark brown eyes met her own, there was something knowing about them that caused Lauren to shift slightly, wondering if Bo knew the true emotions behind the gift. If she did, she kept her thoughts to herself and instead beamed. "Thank you, Lauren."

Bo immediately put on the necklace and though she chatted with everyone throughout the rest of the party, there were many times that she would stop and stand alone to touch the area on her collarbone that it rested on. It was during one of those moments when the party was winding down that a new problem arose. Thankfully, Nadia had decided to turn in early and hailed a cab to leave a little after Lauren had given Bo her present and Nate too had had to turn in because of some early band practice the next day. That meant both unaware humans were long gone when Hessa stormed into the room backed up by some brutish-looking fae that Lauren couldn't identify at first glance.

"You stole my sister!" she seethed, locking eyes with Lauren. "You turned her into this—pathetic— Argh!" She made as if to wrap her hands around Lauren's neck while her two followers dove at the nearest targets which were Trick and Ciara respectively.

Lauren prepared to sidestep but Bo was suddenly in front of her. _Crack!_ The Serket staggered to the side but Bo didn't wait for her to steady herself before she kicked out, sending the other woman back towards Kenzi. Bo advanced once more even as Hessa ducked out of the girl's wild strikes with a spatula that had previously been used to scoop out the first few of a full container of brownies. A couple of slaps managed to land though, smearing chocolate on the Dark Fae's face. Then Bo came up from behind and knocked her out with a final strike.

Meanwhile, Ciara and Dyson were dealing with their opponent with panache and style as they moved in concert to surround and then subdue the hulking fae. It was impressive how centuries apart had not dulled how well they read each other's moves. Ciara would be at one spot and then she would teleport away, frustrating the fae to no end as she struck him from another side altogether and slowly weakened him. Dyson was in top form as he left massive gouges across the fae's body whenever he slipped into whatever open position was created by Ciara's movements. They had also thoughtfully managed to maneuver their bloody battle outside where Dyson finally tore the fae's throat out.

The only one who had trouble was Trick who managed to slip around each attack using his smaller stature but unable to do anything else. Hale's whistling to back him up only seemed to anger their opponent even more and his blows became even wilder. Because Dyson and Ciara were distracted and Kenzi had been running around trying to find an actual weapon at the start, Trick would've been in trouble if it weren't for the fact that Bo took Hessa's attention away from Lauren and Lauren caught a glimpse of the fight.

Just as a lucky blow caused Trick to fall, Lauren yelled out his name and flung a nearby cat statue to draw the brute's attention. Then she tossed the dagger she had been practically nursing the entire day. It stabbed precisely through the fae's eye. For a moment, it stood there wobbling and then it collapsed backwards on top of Trick who gave a pained yell.

Immediately Bo scrambled forward and heaved the body off of the barkeep as Lauren crouched down to assess his wounds. "You may have a concussion. Definitely a fractured nose. Having a huge weight like that fall on you may have also cracked-" Lauren pressed down and Trick screamed through clenched teeth. "-Nope. Luckily, you're just going to be very bruised. No broken ribs. Do we have napkins or anything for the blood?"

Kenzi offered a handful of napkins which Bo used to gently wipe away the blood oozing from Trick's nose. It was a minor fracture that Lauren pinched straight to another muffled groan and then applied ice to. Kenzi and Hale helped Trick over to the couch as they started joking and easing the tension in the air.

"Well, that was an exciting end to my birthday," Bo quipped as Ciara and Dyson finally came back in from defeating their own opponent. The two weren't looking at each other and Dyson hurried over to Bo to check her over for injuries. "I'm fine Dyson," she said with a touch of exasperated annoyance. "Hessa was the weakest of the bunch honestly."

As the groups separated into light-hearted banter again, determinedly ignoring the new bodies on the floor, Lauren hung back with Ciara to watch the scene. The battle was mostly one-sided in their favor this time, but Lauren pondered memories of fiercer battles to come that could destroy any member of their group just as easily as they had defeated the fae now. Dyson was murmuring something to Bo.

The wolf shifter loved Bo. Lauren couldn't understand what was going on between him and Ciara still, but there was no question of his devotion to the succubus. In response, Bo was smiling again as she pushed against Dyson's chest playfully and then dragged him to the sink to carefully wash off his bloodied hands.

Her trips to the future and the love Bo had shown her then as well as Ciara's prodding had shaken her faith in getting Dyson and Bo together. But after this battle and seeing how Bo gently deal with the wolf shifter, she felt her belief of the two solidify... "Ciara, do you remember asking me why I wanted them together?" she asked quietly. The fairy looked at her and nodded slightly as she wiped at some of the blood dripping from her knuckles with a napkin. Lauren's eyes were fixed on the wolf shifter and succubus as she admitted, "It's because Dyson is the only one who loves her like I do. And, unlike me, he can stay with her long after I can't." Lauren wrenched her eyes away. "If Bo can have that love for the rest of her life, I know that everything I'll do will be worth that time of happiness."

What Lauren didn't see was how after Bo finished cleaning Dyson's hands, she bumped shoulders with him to send him away and then reached up to caress her new necklace as she looked over towards Lauren.

* * *

A/N: Since I'm too lazy to look anything up and because it's such an unimportant aspect, any suggestions for what types of flowers were sent to Dyson to be given to Bo? A bouquet of classic roses? Something else? And another question: what are your opinions on Ryan?

About the dream of the future... yes it was real. Which also means that Ciara was definitely not there in the future again. That's to show that her existence is kind of on the balance: she still may die. Muahaha. Do not relax just yet.

If things go as planned, we'll have one more chapter and then finally the Garuda face-off. Yesss.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: You should all thank osixtytwo for being awesome and nudging me into writing and finally stop procrastinating on this story 8) Anyways, here's the next update! Thanks to everyone else who reviewed, etc. I'd reply like usual, but that would take more time... Also, with classes now, updates will be definitely slower though hopefully not with a whole month jump like this chapter was. Heh heh... *nervous laughter*

* * *

Past Imperfect Chapter 8

Despite running on sporadic 2-3 hour bursts of sleep, Lauren's eyes were brighter than they had been in a while in the days after she returned from dropping off Nadia. Her old love was as far away from danger as possible and there was no chance she would return willingly to get caught by the Garuda. In short, Lauren could go back to focusing on preventing the Garuda and everything else that would come her way.

The doctor walked into her apartment rubbing her eyes tiredly. She absently made her way over to her lab setup and glanced through the newest information back from the lab. She could have checked them before leaving of course, but she had wanted to finish ensuring Nadia's safety. Her brow furrowed in thought as she surveyed the results. After getting back from the Norn, she had conducted tests on both her and Kenzi where they had gotten splashed.

The situation had led to confusion on her part when Lauren's sample had returned no identifiable side-effects. Kenzi's arm at least, had been identified as having something fae-related on it. No matter how amazing science was though, it still wasn't enough to actually quantify and make tangible aspects like "courage" or "beauty" so Lauren couldn't be sure if Kenzi's "infection" for lack of a better term was anything related to character traits or was something else more detrimental. The doctor had told the other human to just keep an eye out and inform her of any changes.

After how Hessa had reacted to Lauren's arm though, the doctor had once again tried to check her arm for anything strange. Once again, the results were devoid of any anomaly. Lauren's lips pursed in annoyance as she skimmed through the clean results that followed each test she had had run. When she finished, she sighed and turned away from the screen.

Information. She needed information. For all her power and influence as a doctor for the Light Fae, it was severely limited due to her position as a slave and her own humanity. What she needed was a way to assert her own independence and make her own connections.

All at once, Lauren's lips quirked into the tiniest of grins.

Around an hour later, Lauren sauntered into the Morrigan's office. The blonde had cleaned up for the meeting: she presented quite an attractive figure, but she made sure her primping was not on an overwhelming scale. She wore muted colors and clothes just on the edge of conservative. Lauren had no plans to seduce the Morrigan, but sexual allure was one of Evony's weaknesses and it was one Lauren would play to.

Evony looked up from her desk and a slow smirk formed on her lips when she realized who was standing there. "So you've decided to accept my offer?" she asked silkily, waving at Lauren to take a seat.

Lauren chuckled darkly. Like hell she would join the Dark Fae when it was they who had sent the group to kill her in the future. _Hmm,_ she pondered. _Well actually, that might not be a bad idea. I can nip what happens right in the bud if I become too important to them for them to attack me... But then again, everyone is disposable at some point or another_. She jerked out of her thoughts to reply to Evony's question with a casual, "Of course not." She leaned forward, lacing her fingers together. "I'd prefer to know the exact details of your offer first." Her smile was calculated to show just the right amount casual disinterest as to imply that there was an interest. Lauren had what the Dark wanted (herself) and now she was driving them to pour in the tempting offers.

The Morrigan was no stranger to such a business transaction and she too leaned forward. "For one, freedom," she began. "And for another, access to our texts, resources, funds..."

Lauren nodded thoughtfully. "And what will be required of me in return?"

"Play doctor, perform a few tests and develop things now and then for us," Evony explained vaguely.

A chuckle. "What's the catch?"

"We're just offering employment," the Morrigan said innocently, spreading her hands out in a '_who, me?'_ gesture. "Good pay, good work hours, and a good dental plan."

Eyes rolling, Lauren stifled a snort of disbelief. "I'm sure." She eyed the fae in front of her warily. "Why do you really want me with the Dark Fae?"

"Me?" The Morrigan laughed. "I could care less." Well, wasn't that nice. But decidedly truthful. "However, it seems like a few of the Elders are familiar with your work and want you on our side. You should be flattered."

Lauren mustered the fakest smile she could make. "Very flattered," she managed to mutter. Her forced smile dropped into a more thoughtful expression as she remembered the future Evony's claims that the Dark Elders had been the reason she had been attacked. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, the doctor spoke. "Say," Lauren began. "Why would the Dark Fae Elders want me? I'm a human. What would make me so important that they actually task someone to get Nadia?" _And attempt to kill or capture me in the future?_

"Not all the Elders, darling," Evony scoffed. "Those old bastards can never agree on what coffee to drink let alone decide to have an entire task force for getting you to join our side. I only went after Nadia because of a few favors. Unlike what you seem to think, most of what we Dark Fae do don't require approval from that sorry group of fools or we'd never get anything done." Lauren was starting to think she had stumbled upon a long-suppressed rant. "Of course, it gives me more power to do what I want because they can never band together long enough to overrule any of my decisions. Still, they can be a pain to convince to agree with anything major I need."

"So for something 'minor' like... disposing of certain people, you don't need permission from the Elders?" Lauren interjected.

"Of course they wouldn't care if I go kill my secretary right now," Evony replied dismissively. Then a look of comprehension flashed across her face. Annoyingly arrogant though Evony was, Lauren couldn't say that the Morrgian wasn't sharp. "Of course, for someone like you... Well, your ties to both Bo and the Light would be such a major move that it would require not only a unanimous decision of the Elders but also agreement with the Light if they want to avoid a war. Maybe even interference from higher powers. And it's pretty much impossible to get those bastards to agree unanimously to anything."

Lauren sat back, her mind whirling from the information. Evony was being surprisingly chatty about the entire thing, especially in regards to how Lauren was safe from death because of her position among the Light. But if the Morrigan was trying to get her to join the Dark Fae, why would she tell her something so obviously meant to keep her with the Light? Irritation rose up inside Lauren but she didn't allow it to show.

Instead, she nodded and tried to play off her questions as nothing more than distrust of Evony rather than the Elders themselves. In truth though, Lauren found the Morrigan to be startlingly honest in her opinion of her and Lauren's instincts told her that Evony had no reason to want to kill her. Yet. "If I work for the Dark, will I be protected from being killed at your whim?"

"You humans have such short lifespans anyways," Evony complained.

Lauren's eyebrow rose up.

"Ugh fine. Would you like a pinky promise with that too?"

A corner of Lauren's lips twitched up at the thought of _the Morrigan_ participating in a _pinky promise_ but she resisted the urge to show any more amusement than that. "As tempting as your offer is, I'll have to refuse from directly joining the Dark." She paused. "However... after we defeat the Garuda, I will offer my services as a... freelance doctor for the Dark Fae. If you need anything, I will endeavor to help to the best of my ability." Her words were diplomatic and delivered with ease but also a hint of indifference. Lauren highly doubted that her "offer" would be accepted.

"There's no way the Elders would agree to that," Evony sighed. "And defeating the Garuda?" She seemed unsurprised by the Garuda's existence. "I've heard the rumors, but isn't it rather presumptuous of you to think you can win?"

"Losing is not an option," Lauren said firmly. "Well, it seems our discussion is done." She stood up and reached into a pocket. She might not be part of the Dark, but she still needed to start making connections and it seemed she had a good start already. "You can contact me here," Lauren murmured as she slid across a business card. "I'll talk to you later, I think."

"Indeed," Evony drawled, surveying the rectangle with a vague sort of interest. "It's been a pleasure." She watched Lauren leave and then reached for her phone. After a moment for it to ring and be picked up on the other end, she said, "The doctor refused the offer."

While Evony proceeded to detail the events that had just occurred, Lauren was making her way to exit the office building only to catch a glimpse of a familiar blonde figure in a bright blue leather jacket. She only took a moment to decide to alter her course to walk over to the woman who leaned over Evony's secretary's desk scowling angrily. "-busy?" she was saying as Lauren came near. "I got a fricken' appointment to see her and you tell me she's busy?"

"Tamsin?"

The Valkyrie looked up and glanced over Lauren. "Do I know you?" Her voice wasn't overtly hostile, but it was tinged with irritation that seemed more directed at something (or someone) else in particular.

At the moment, Lauren was too busy cursing her impulsive decision to approach to care. "I, well, I wanted to say thank you for your part in saving Nadia," she said. _Good save_.

A spark of interest caught in Tamsin's eyes. "You're that doctor then?" This time, her gaze was critical and she took a longer time to inspect Lauren. When Lauren nodded, Tamsin grinned as she relaxed her body to lean her posterior against the edge of the secretary's desk. "Well, no problem about it." There was a self-satisfied smirk playing around her lips.

The secretary's phone rang and was answered while a thoughtful silence permeated the air between the two blondes. Lauren wasn't sure what to expect from the Valkyrie, but she took the lack of dismissal as a good sign. "If you," Lauren paused before charging forward. "If you need anything, just let me know."

Tamsin looked legitimately stumped by the offer but she didn't get the chance to speak. "Dr. Lewis?" The secretary asked brusquely. "The Morrigan would like to talk to you." She then thrust the phone into Lauren's hand.

Hesitantly, Lauren lifted the object to her ear as if it were a poisonous snake. "Lewis speaking," she said.

"Well, doctor," Evony crooned in her ear, though the effect was muted by the distortion of her voice through the speaker. "Seems like you have friends in high places. The Dark will accept your deal."

_...Friends in high places?_

(-)(-)(-)

One of the flaws of being friends with Ciara was that the personable fairy could sweep into Lauren's apartment, hit her with some powerful puppy eyes, and then convince the doctor to go with her to some fae party. And it wasn't just any fae party. It was-

"The once-a-century summit of the original noble fae families," Ciara reminded Lauren brightly as they sat in a sleek limo that Lauren frankly thought was overkill. "It was moved earlier for some reason though... _And_, since I am a wolf-shifter short of having a plus one to bring..." She trailed away pointedly and Lauren sighed a touch guiltily.

Ciara had assured her many times that she harbored no ill will towards the doctor for her actions resulting in the break-up, but Lauren felt guilty anyways. In the end, it seemed the fairy wasn't above using that fact to get Lauren to agree with what she wanted even if Lauren would have given in anyways.

"I already agreed to go," Lauren complained good-naturedly. "Do you think I'm going to make a break for it even after dressing up like this?" She gestured down at her body. "And you were right, it's a good way to try to spread the word about the Garuda." It was also, Lauren had realized, a good start to network among those who were powerful and influential among the Light Fae. Ciara had warned her though that the noble clans were very snobby and since the two of them were a few of the rare people who were not truly affiliated in some way, they would have to be careful.

They exited the limo and Lauren immediately backtracked on the idea that theirs was overkill. They at least, had ridden in a short limo colored an understated black. Lauren's eyes widened at the sight of a bright pink limo that stretched ridiculously long... and only housed one woman who stepped out on gigantic heels with the air of smug superiority. Lauren let out a puff of breath in disbelief.

Ciara leaned in to whisper into her ear as the two blondes walked towards the entrance. "That woman's the daughter of Marisol Carmody, Don of the Bukharin clan. Quite the opposite of her mother and indulges quite a bit with her money... And there's Dabner, Don of the Clan Finarvin." Lauren paused to take in the stout man with a rather underwhelming aura. _Weren't Trick and Bo part of the Finarvin clan?_

As the doctor turned her attention back to listen to Ciara point out more people, she tried to take note of the people that Ciara hinted would be more open to talking and listening to a human. There didn't seem to be many. Just entering the spacious mansion was an experience in lavishness.

A pompous man stood facing the room, reading the names, families, and clans that those entering were in. He spoke in a slow, deliberate pace that made Lauren want to hide somewhere when he called out her own name in conjunction with Ciara's. At least he didn't say that she was of no family and no clan—he omitted both, only reading her name.

After making it past him, Lauren caught sight of several familiar faces. Hale was standing next to Bo and another man looking anxious. When he saw Lauren and Ciara approach though, his jaw dropped. "Lauren? Why are you here?" He winced almost immediately after that as Bo jolted at the sound of Lauren's name and turned to stare as well. "Sorry, no offense meant."

"I'm Ciara's plus one," Lauren explained. "Hello Bo," she added.

Bo was frowning at Ciara when she looked back at Lauren and smiled. For some reason, she looked nervous. "Hey Lauren," she said.

"Are you going to introduce us?" the man next to her interrupted, a touch of laughter coloring his tone.

"Yeah, um, Lauren, this is Ryan Lambert. Ryan, this is Lauren Lewis." Her voice dropped. "He's a friend of the Ash's." Lauren's eyes widened and she stared at Ryan in sudden realization and remembrance of who he was. Gaining control of her expression, she dropped into a polite smile and shook his hand. Her mind was whirling as she tried to figure out how (and why) a _Dark Fae_ was inside a summit for _Light Fae_. Unless she was remembering Ryan wrong... Bo seemed unaware of his affiliation but the Loki seemed to revel in the knowledge of the utter magnitude of his very existence in that mansion.

Luckily, while Bo seemed ignorant, Lauren realized that other people around the room knew that there was someone different in their midst from the glances and wide berth given to them. Most seemed angry or wary, but it seemed they thought that Bo had taken Ryan with her as a statement of her unaligned station.

"So," Bo continued, "You look very beautiful, Lauren." She seemed unable to take her eyes off of Lauren who had dressed to impress and who was now doubly thankful she had done so. The doctor was wearing navy-blue dress with only one strap, leaving her other shoulder bare. Her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail to emphasize her neck and shoulders. In one of her hands was a small hand purse that was a matching blue to her dress.

Lauren smiled. "You too Bo," she acknowledged. The succubus was in a classic little black dress molded onto her form. Her hair was curled and fell in soft waves over her shoulders. Apparently, Bo had also dressed to impress the aristocracy. Still smiling, but now with a hint of confusion, Lauren tilted her head slightly in Bo's direction. "So why are you here?"

"Lachlan suggested I go out here and mingle and spread the word about the Garuda," Bo explained. "He mentioned Ryan being able to provide the necessary fancy transportation and Ryan wanted to tag along so he became my plus one." As if sensing Lauren's skepticism, Bo hastened to add, "He's been really good and we've bonded. Though trying to spread the word isn't really working because most of these snobs won't give me an opportunity to talk to them."

Seeing the leer on the man's face, Lauren quickly realized that the two had at least "bonded" in the physical sense. She wondered what Dyson thought about the situation but decided not to keep pressing on that issue (for the moment at least). "Well... if you're happy..." Lauren said slowly. "I'm not going to stop you." Still, it was obvious that the arrogant nobles were more avoiding Bo because of her associate rather than any avoidance of Bo herself.

"Of course she's happy," Ryan interrupted smoothly, slinging his arm around Bo's shoulder lightly, obviously keeping an eye on whether Bo would feel uneasy about his actions. "Who wouldn't be when they have me on their arm?"

Lauren resisted the urge to roll her eyes and scowl. When Bo didn't reject his advances but just smiled, the doctor felt a brief moment of confusion. Why was Bo going for such a guy? "I'm going to get a drink," she murmured, a hint of apology on her voice. As she turned, she subtly nudged Ciara who chimed in, saying that she would join her.

"See you then," Ryan grinned, already pulling Bo to facing him again. Bo waved at them, looking slightly concerned at the sudden exit, but Ryan quickly distracted her.

"Are you okay?" the fairy asked Lauren concernedly. "I'm sorry—I didn't realize Bo would be here. It seems they're inviting even more outsiders to this summit than usual. My invitation was pretty rare itself and that's only because of my connections."

"No, I'm fine," Lauren smiled softly. "I just don't get why she's going for Ryan. I know it's not love, but I do recognize that spark in her. Some kind of interest."

The duo wandered over to a table set with light snacks. One of the wandering servants paused to inform them that there would be a sizeable, several-course meal later on after a ceremony to open up the summit. Snacks were just to tide them over to that moment. Apparently, the seats were all arranged too so they would have to look for their names as well. Luckily, it seemed that the arrangement was by rank and family so "outsider" guests would be mostly together and Lauren wouldn't be separated from Ciara.

"I think Bo likes him because he seems very laid back," Ciara finally answered Lauren's earlier question as they sipped at their drinks. "He's very... loose. And also, he's a new face. No baggage and he has wealthy contacts if you look to his clothes and his connection to the Ash."

When Lauren thought about it, she could see how Bo enjoyed the easiness of her relationship with Ryan —it wasn't fraught with other loves (Ciara, Nadia) nor did Ryan seem the type to care to share Bo with others. He probably got off on it. And Bo probably enjoyed the freedom her relationship with him allowed her. However, Lauren admitted that she didn't like how he seemed to already be influencing Bo to ignore and turn away from her worries in order to engage in just her own gratification.

Then again, Lauren might've been a tad bit jealous.

Again, Ciara came to the rescue by sweeping the two of them off to talk to some old friend of hers from Clan Finarvin and Lauren decided that she would just be happy for Bo for now. She would just have to talk to Dyson later and maybe do something about Ryan.

A little into the mingling, Lauren was distracted by a certain name being announced with confused and disapproving stiffness. "...Kenzi... Uh, Hale's... bitchin' girlfriend. Of family What Up... Clan Hey Now." Lauren craned her head to see Kenzi stand and pose for a bit in her shiny black dress before being ushered out of the way towards Hale.

Smiling to herself in glee at Kenzi's surprising arrival, Lauren watched her for a bit longer, noting how she looked slightly nervous as she spoke to her boyfriend. After a moment, the doctor turned back to the people she had been talking to. And she blinked. "Where did Ciara go?" she asked, looking around.

"She went in that direction," the slim man told her helpfully, pointing. "I assumed she needed the restroom."

"Excuse me then, I should probably go after her," Lauren murmured. "Maybe we can talk later about your daughter's health? You, of course, can contact me at any time through the Ash or even drop by at my lab at the compound." When he nodded eagerly, Lauren turned and slipped through the crowd in the direction the fae had pointed.

Nobody stopped her when she slipped out of the throng and entered the more empty rooms, peeking into each one. Then she saw a vaguely familiar man with a closely shaven head wearing well-worn clothes that clashed distinctly with the finery all the people at the party sported trying to sneak in. "You're that guy, Nate, who was at Bo's birthday party," Lauren said, surprised, causing him to jump in the air. Lauren quickly looked around and pulled him back into a random room. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm finding the balls to get my girlfriend back," he said stiffly.

Lauren was pulled up short as her brain tried to register what he was saying before understanding dawned. At this point in time, Hale _wasn't_ Kenzi's boyfriend as Lauren had thought earlier. He and Kenzi were still friends of a sort. She was still with Nate. Poor, ignorant, human Nate who had been forced away because of the Garuda.

A conundrum had now presented itself: Lauren sympathized with Nate _a lot_. Like her, he was human and he loved a person who was deep in an area that he couldn't truly enter. At the same time, Lauren was familiar with the closeness and care Kenzi and Hale had held for each other before she had died. Theirs was a love Lauren had seen bloom and both were (going to be?) close friends to her. So should she help Nate or should she work towards Hale and Kenzi because she remembered how happy they were in the future?

"I—" Lauren paused and then nodded shortly, making her decision. "Wait here." She hurried out the room and surprisingly managed to get Kenzi away from Hale in short order. Without preamble, she pushed the smaller human into room with Nate and then turned away with a sigh. Nate could talk to Kenzi. If things changed, they would change. She just hoped it was a good choice... Now back to her original quest.

It took several more rooms and Lauren was starting to feel very anxious about getting caught poking around when she finally found Ciara. And Dyson. Lauren froze, scarcely breathing as she kept her hand on the doorknob, thankful that she hadn't slammed open the door. The two were talking, standing a little less than an arms length from each other. Neither looked angry but nor were they happy. They were just... talking.

"I don't know how I feel," Dyson was saying gruffly. "With my love back... I feel everything I did for Bo before. The fire I had to protect her and sacrifice everything for her." Lauren began to back away, pulling the door shut behind her when Dyson's next words make her stop again. "But I'm still confused because now I know that there's still something for you too."

Ciara stepped back as if to distance herself from his confession, but she looked as if she wanted to reach out and step closer to Dyson instead of away. "I'm not going to wait for you, Dyson. You'll always be my friend, but whether that will become more again..." She shrugged and gave a small smile. "I can't help you clear your thoughts when it comes to this, but know I'll be here to give you a hand against the Garuda and any other monster that comes your way."

This time, Lauren managed to slide the door shut again with a soft click and a sigh. This was a curveball she hadn't expected. She had thought Dyson's love for Bo was something eternal. He had _mated _withher, what else was there to do? But apparently even the wolf-shifter's (apparent) mating wasn't strong enough a call to override his feelings for Ciara and if that was true, what did that mean for his and Bo's love? Would it truly last as long as Lauren wished it too?

Blankly, Lauren made her way back to the crowd and saw a disturbed-looking Hale standing with Bo and Ryan again. The latter two looked slightly ruffled, especially Bo when she caught sight of Lauren.

"I did _not_ want to walk in on that," Hale muttered quietly to Bo, causing Lauren's eyebrows to shoot right up as she looked incredulously at the succubus.

"Really, Bo?" She asked irritably. "I thought you were here to talk to the nobles and spread the word, not 'mingle' with Ryan."

"She needs a break from all the stress," Ryan pointed out defensively. He stopped when Bo glowered at him.

"I can defend myself thank you very much," she said, before turning to Lauren. "It's not that big a deal, Lauren. I've got lots of time." She would not admit how seeing Lauren all dressed up was wrecking havoc on her hormones. Now, not only was she standing right next to Lauren who had started her up in the first place, but she was standing next to Lauren after being interrupted by Hale with no release for her tension.

A sigh of exasperation greeted her declaration. "Yes, but you have lots of time _after_ this. You can take a break later rather than during a time when you have this huge opportunity to get allies!" She turned to glare at Ryan. "And you shouldn't be distracting her if you're here to help. Why don't you stop hanging off of Bo and thinking only about your own self-gratification?"

A coughing noise interrupted them before things could heat up even more and they looked to see Kenzi frowning and looking as if she wanted to speak. However, not a word escaped her lips and she mouthed, "Water" while making the accompanying motions.

"Wait a second, did Val steal your voice?" Hale asked, looking annoyed but eager to get away from the trio beside him. "I'll go with you to find her."

The two left hastily and Lauren rubbed at her temples before giving Bo an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry Bo," she said guiltily. "I'm just tired and worried about the Garuda and everything else that's going on."

"You were right though," Bo replied while shaking her head. "I was being selfish. I'll go... I'll go see if I can hobnob with the royals." She gave a crooked smile and stepped away, leaving Lauren feeling distinctly guilty despite herself.

Several minutes later, the crowd was silenced and ushered into reasonably organized rows in order to witness the beginning of the summit. Lauren watched with a vague sort of interest as each of the houses were announced and each one had a person give a speech about their background and influence.

Finally, the ceremony was completed and the crowd rustled and moved towards one of the hallways to be directed towards the dining hall. Lauren was luckily at the edge of the crowd so she didn't feel too rushed to follow the flow. Instead, she walked sedately along, scanning the crowd for familiar faces. It was subtle, but Lauren noticed that though the entire purpose of the summit was connecting the families, most of the fae kept closely with their clan members.

Just a few people away, Lauren finally saw Val talking heatedly with Hale and Kenzi. Apparently, the former had been discovered by the other two and had reluctantly returned Kenzi's voice. Now nearing their destination, the crowd began to slow down and shuffle. The fae beside Lauren shoved her slightly with only a mumbled apology when she stumbled into a nearby door. The doctor didn't reply, too distracted by what had happened next. Her hand had brushed the knob and she immediately hissed in pain while snatching her hand back. The metal was scorching hot.

Lauren looked around covertly. Nobody noticed her stand there, too focused on getting to the promised food so she reached into her purse and pulled out a crumpled glove. Using it to cover her hand, she reached out and quickly twisted the handle and pushed the door open. Even with the quick movement, she could feel the heat radiating out onto her hand. By now, Lauren was at the end of the cue waiting to get into room. She pushed open the door and peeked in hastily.

Nobody was in there and the air itself didn't feel that much warmer than the rest of the mansion. Frowning, Lauren withdrew and rejoined the crowd, putting away the glove as she did so. She was still looking thoughtful when she finally entered a large room full of circular tables neatly arranged with flowers and cutlery. Catching a glimpse of Ciara, Dyson, Bo, Kenzi, and Ryan at a far table, she slipped through the throng to get to them. Little name cards marked their spots and Lauren sat down beside Ciara and Kenzi. She was thankful that she didn't have to sit next to Ryan at least.

"Kenzi, why are you sitting here? Shouldn't you be with Hale?" she asked.

Kenzi rolled her eyes. "Like his dad would accept that. They stuck me with you guys." However, she didn't seem too upset about it. In fact, she looked like she wanted to laugh very loudly. "Anyways, look at what they put for Bo!"

She pointed opposite of Lauren where Bo was sitting. The succubus was pouting at the general amusement at the table. Lauren glanced at the nametag and couldn't help the chuckle that passed her lips. "They actually spelled it as 'Bow,'" she said drily. "You are now a weapon."

"Everyone knows who I am," Bo complained, shaking her head. "But they can't even spell my name right."

"It's fitting, actually," Kenzi teased. "You can pronounce it like 'bow'-chicka-wow-wow. Perfectly acceptable. Perfect for you, Bow."

"Excuse me, Bo, I was wondering if I could have a word..." A rather ragged-looking fae came up to their table, looking apologetic.

"I think he's talking to you, Bow," Kenzi stage-whispered, still pronouncing the name as if saying the word 'wow.'

"Shh," Bo whispered before standing up and greeting the man.

"Excuse me," Kenzi muttered indignantly as Bo talked for a few moments and then sat back down at the table. "You can't just 'shhh' me. I am Kenzi."

"I know you are," Bo sighed. "And _please_ stop calling me Bow."

"Oh fine," Kenzi pouted good-naturedly. "I'll _bow _to your wishes."

Fed up, Bo snapped her fingers. Kenzi looked faux affronted and incredulous. "You did _not_ just snap your fingers at me, sister!"

"Enough you too," Ciara interrupted with laughter in her voice. "Food's served."

They all dug into the rich cuisine. A small murmur of talk filled the air around them, but their table stayed mostly quiet at first. Kenzi was eagerly chowing down the servings while Dyson was keeping quiet, looking extremely awkward in his place beside Bo and Ciara. Bo seemed equally as awkward in regards to Dyson. Ryan was glowering Lauren, who ignored him in turn. Ciara somehow broke the silence and managed to strike up a polite talk with Lauren, which then pulled in Kenzi, but the other half of the table stayed obviously mute.

Half-way through the meal, as Kenzi finally roped Dyson into talking stiltedly with her and Ciara, Lauren noticed Bo tensing and glaring sharply at Ryan. The Loki grinned at her, but she seemed unmoved and very obviously grabbed his hand from underneath the table and moved it away from her with a hissed, "No."

"Why don't you and I leave for a bit?" he asked quietly, but not quietly enough. He was too eager. "Just a short little jaunt outside? I know you want to."

"I don't," Bo frowned. "You better remember that you're a plus one for just this summit and that I was here for a reason. And it wasn't for you."

"Oh come on. Nobody will even notice we were gone..."

Lauren coughed, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Sorry, something in my throat," she lied. "Anyways, Bo, did you notice how the nobles talked about the beginning of the clans and cut the cake into four slices? Ciara told me that there actually used to be four clans." Lauren paused, something about the story reminding her of something long ago. "The fourth one was called Clan Scafati. Does that sound familiar to you? For some reason I have the feeling that we've heard it before..."

Bo latched onto the topic quickly, throwing Lauren a thankful but curious look. "Oh yeah, that sounds interesting, but I don't think I've ever heard of this Scafati thing. It sounds Italian..." Her words were stilted and more than likely made up on the fly, but she made up for that with enough enthusiasm about escaping from Ryan that nobody seemed to want to bring it up.

...Except Ryan. "I can see I'm distracting you," he sighed. "Listen, I've got things to do so you can find your own ride back." Without even waiting for the food to finish, he stood up and walked away.

When Bo didn't seem at all too bothered by his exit, Lauren felt relieved but mostly justified for what she was going to do left. "I need to go to the restroom," Lauren murmured as she stood up and followed Ryan out the hall. She quickly caught up to him near the exit. "Ryan," she called out, causing him to turn and scowl when he saw who it was.

"What do you want?" Ryan asked.

"Just to do this," Lauren answered primly. She drew her fist back and punched him in the face. There was a satisfying crack and he fell back, clutching his nose.

"What in all of hell-?"

"Next time a woman says no, you keep away. And if you harass Bo again..." she trailed away threateningly.

"Fide, fide," Ryan mumbled in agreement. "I'll leave her alode."

Lauren nodded sharply and promptly put aside Ryan as she turned back and took a quick detour to the restroom to wash her hands. She slid back into her seat with a cheerful smile. Then, she finally remembered a time long ago when Bo had been researching the dangerous magma underfae called a Cherufe... which was known in connection to the "rape of Scafati" and the leaders of each of the clans...

And, if Lauren wasn't mistaken, the Cherufe was here. With the perfect opportunity to destroy two of the clan heads in one fell swoop. Lauren jerked her head around to look towards the table set in what was unmistakably the front of the room. The table itself was larger and grander than the rest of the surrounding tables and it wasn't circular but rather a long rectangle.

The highest-ranking members of the families sat there, with the clan heads taking center stage as was their prerogative. The closest to the center after those three were their children: Hale, Val, Marisol Carmady's daughter, etc. Then a giant flaming amalgam of rock with a strange, horned skull for a head loomed up behind them and someone screamed.

People began running: some away from, and a few brave souls towards, the Cherufe. "Don't touch it!" Lauren yelled towards her tablemates over the panic. "It's a Cherufe—you'll combust!" Dabner suddenly screamed as he flared up in flames and then collapsed into ashy pieces right beside his fellow clan heads both of which scrambled back.

"I need to get to Hale!" Kenzi yelled before pushing through the crowd.

A familiar hand wrapped around Lauren's arm, calling her attention to its owner. "You know what it is; how do we defeat it?" Bo asked urgently. Ciara and Dyson had followed Kenzi's mad dash, leaving the other two behind.

"I don't know—it looks like flame, so..." Lauren temporized. Then her eyes caught sight of one of the doors lining the hall. "The kitchens! Usually they should have a fire extinguisher... or maybe liquid nitrogen for cooking. That might work!"

The succubus took the lead as the two weaved through abandoned tables. They slammed through the doors and immediately looked around, trying to find what they needed. They found both. Lauren scooped up the bright red canister while Bo lifted the larger container containing the nitrogen.

As Lauren turned to go through the doors again, their eyes met for a fraction of a second and Lauren couldn't help the wild grin the formed on her lips. It was nice to be working together again with Bo against a common enemy. Then they were running out to a mostly empty room apart from the sounds of conflict where the others were keeping the Cherufe distracted.

Ciara was just teleporting away with some unlucky clan member who hadn't yet managed to escape while Dyson threw a dish at the underfae. Kenzi threw a vase full of flowers and water on the thing, but the water didn't seem to affect it at all and the flowers too seemed to burn on the spot. Hale was standing in front of his father and sister whom he had apparently pushed back away from the Cherufe but also away from the main exit.

Lauren fumbled with the nozzle of the fire extinguisher as she ran but she managed to pull it out and aim. _Fwoosh_. A stream of white foam sprayed onto the Cherufe's arm. The fire there went out but then the extinguisher sputtered and refused to spray anymore. Lauren felt her stomach drop as the Cherufe turned in her direction and moved deliberately forward while she tried to figure out what had gone wrong.

Before the Cherufe could make it past the first few round tables, Bo leapt forward and swung her can, spraying the liquid nitrogen over the beast. All the fire on its body vanished, leaving a smoking grey rock body in its wake. Kenzi flung the rest of her vase at its back and both the vase and the body shattered into a pile of rock, ash, and a skull onto the floor.

For a second, the only thing left was heavy panting as everyone surveyed the remains.

Then Ciara teleported back and took in the situation. "Well, it seems the day has been saved once more," she noted drily.

"I want some explanations," Bo growled, her hand resting on Lauren's shoulder as if to affirm that the doctor was okay. "Where did that come from? Something of the Garuda's?"

"No..." Hale's father said slowly. Sturgis Santiago looked shaken. "But it might have been the catalyst after all these years." He hesitated, as if debating whether to tell them anything.

"What are you hiding, dad?" Hale asked, sounding betrayed and angry.

"If you lie," Lauren spoke up, her voice full of steel. "I will be able to tell."

Apparently, Sturgis believed Lauren's threat because he told the truth: his and the other clan heads' attempt to destroy the Scafati Clan and their betrayal of the Cherufe. Everyone looked angry to some degree at what he had admitted, but none more so than Hale. As he whirled towards his father, angry words on his lips, Bo strode forward and scooped up the skull from the remains and turned towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" Lauren asked her, starting to follow.

"I've got my proof of the Garuda," Bo said shortly. "It's time to get these nobles off their asses and on their feet preparing for war." Lauren's step faltered for a second, two sets of memories vying for her attention. This was Bo: brave, fearless, and a leader. Her commanding aura was one Lauren had become familiar with before she died as Bo led her supporters in order to bring peace between the Light and Dark. But those same qualities now could also be seen in her darker counterpart. That same fearless control had reigned over people like Tamsin like an iron fist.

_But this Bo isn't any of those. Not yet_, Lauren realized. _Those are just possibilities. _This was not deliberate stoicism or cruelty. This was just Bo with her natural charisma and her need to do what was right.

Bo's speech to the shaken nobles huddled outside was impassioned and rang true. However, several loud nobles protested, drawing back to the conflict between each of the clans, and in the end, Bo seemed to feel that she had lost. However, Lauren caught the expressions of doubt that flitted across several quieter faces and the fear that gleamed in most everyone's eyes. Bo hadn't charged up the people to want to wage war against the Garuda, but she had instilled the seed of doubt.

Lauren smiled.

That was good enough. After all, all seeds could grow.

(-)(-)(-)

Lauren's dreams that night were about the future again, but not of the variety she had become accustomed to. Instead, in some vague corner of her mind, she recognized that she was reliving memories of a time before she had died. There had been a war going on then, spurred by the events involving Taft and his fae experiments.

Both the Light and Dark had been in agreement about wanting to remove humanity from their ranks, but they had fragmented with accusations that each side had actually helped Taft along in his goals in order to get his knowledge for their own research.

Bo's unaligned position suddenly became a haven for those on either side who wanted to flee either to protect friendly humans or because they wanted to avoid choosing sides. The result was that the new faction was declared practically outlaws among both sides. Meetings were held and threats made against fae like Dyson or Tamsin: "Declare your side and do not associate with the succubus or anyone on the other side anymore. Either you show your allegiance with the Light/Dark or you are proving to be unaligned."

When they had naturally refused, the fae had even more reason to be open to killing the "upstarts." Of course, then there were Kenzi and Lauren who, being humans had made them easy targets from get go. The former was just as unaligned as Bo and the latter was a persona non grata after her actions with Taft so all sides were already eager to deal with them violently.

The fae were out for blood and they were Undesirables No. 2 and 3.

Those were titles that Bo sometimes teased them about, but at times Lauren could also see the sheer worry in her eyes from the danger they were in. The succubus tried her best to not be overly overbearing though, especially when both humans insisted on joining missions and actually helping out deal with things. Their combined efforts had convinced Bo very quickly that stopping them was not a Good Idea.

A smile formed on Lauren's lips when warm arms wrapped around her waist from behind and she leaned back against a familiar figure. "Thinking about something?" Bo whispered, her breath tickling Lauren's ear pleasantly.

"Hmm," Lauren murmured, enjoying the feeling of her lover's body against hers. She could already tell that this wasn't Bo the General, focused on tactics and battles that would bring them closer to ending the war, but rather her Bo. Just Bo. "I was thinking about a very beautiful brunette," Lauren teased, pulling off her gloves and putting them neatly to the side of the samples she had been looking over. "She's probably way out of my league, but I thought I might ask her out on a date later tonight."

"Well, she'd have to be stupid to refuse you, doctor," Bo played along. "I'll personally beat her up if she says no."

There was frantic knocking on the closed door to their right, barely giving time for Bo to disentangle herself from the doctor before opening. Because Lauren's back was to her, Bo never saw the way the blonde's face fell ever so slightly from her move. The interrupter, Tamsin, gave a small frown of apology to both of them before looking at Bo. "We've got news of where one of the Dark Elders is holed up," she said crisply. "Word is that he's going to move tomorrow morning though, so Dyson is pushing for a raid of the place tonight and we'll need you along."

Bo's head almost unconsciously turned towards Lauren who was standing with her face cautiously blank. "And what do you advise, Tamsin?" Bo asked. If the Valkyrie heard the tinge of desperation for a way out of the nighttime jaunt in the succubus's voice, she was kind enough to not acknowledge it.

Hands reached up to brush a stray lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail as Tamsin thought out her response. Finally she said, "This is our first lead in a while and I think Dyson's right to want to go in strong."

Bo deflated silently, throwing another glance at the mute blonde at her side. "Get Trick, Kenz, Vex, and the whole crew to the war room and Lauren and I will catch up in a bit," she ordered. With a brief nod, Tamsin left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to check if any of my assistants are well enough to join the squad," Lauren began the moment the doorknob clicked. She turned away from Bo and began reaching out and keeping her hands busy with the vials settled on a counter. "Our last kits were missing a few things so I'll need to check through them again to make sure they're full again—"

"Lauren," Bo tried.

"If the raid is going to be tonight, you won't have time to waste," the doctor said matter-of-factly. She sounded far too calm and maybe even resigned to the fact that Bo would leave, breaking the brunette's heart a bit. Wordlessly, she watched Lauren scoop up some syringes and a bandolier that would hold them. "You can go ahead," Lauren continued brightly. "I'll catch up and then you can go save the day and bring us one step closer to peace."

"Once this is all over, I'll treat you to a real date," Bo promised, slowing Lauren down. "I'll take you to some cheesy romantic movie, take you to some five star restaurant, all the works."

Lauren smiled sadly. "I'll hold you to that promise," she murmured.

Bo winced. She knew she had made a rather nasty habit of putting Lauren aside for other reasons—albeit good reasons. There was a war going on after all, and both of them were important pieces. "I could send someone else onto the raid," Bo offered, trying not to sound too doubtful. She forced a smile, saying, "It's not like I have a monopoly on infiltration missions."

"It's fine," Lauren assured her truthfully. "Go."

"Wait." Bo said shortly, her mind screeching to a halt as an idea presented itself. Lauren eyed her as Bo began to grin with honest enthusiasm. "I have an idea." She refused to say anymore until the duo was holed up in the war room with everyone else. There, she gathered all the attention to her and smirked. "This will be a two-man mission. Lauren and I will infiltrate the area and get to the target ourselves," she said simply. "Any questions?"

The room was dead silent for about a minute.

"What?" Dyson asked blandly. Normally they never had two people from their group go on the same team. All of them were too high-ranking to usually work with each other as it was better to spread out their leadership and skills to supervising other missions or work on their own thing. Even Kenzi had her own Shadow Thief crew, something she was very proud of.

That same human didn't seem to care too much about Bo's decision. "I don't see why not," she defended her best friend.

"Eh, are you sure you're not jus' doing this to make up to the doc for missing some _fun_ _time_?" Vex asked bluntly.

Sometimes, his lack of social grace really annoyed Bo. Luckily for him, the succubus didn't seem too bothered at the moment, instead just gifting the entire room with a beatific smile. "No, guys, this is perfect for what we need. Less people means, less chances of getting caught. Lauren will provide the first-aid and Shadow Thief skills along with her own concoctions while I have my own powers."

"And general badassery," Kenzi piped up, her smile telling everyone that she was already way on board the BoLo train. With her words, the rest of the group exchanged glances and then nodded as well until only Lauren was left. The doctor hadn't spoken at all since Bo had proclaimed her idea, but the small smile on her face said it all.

The mission was a go.

Within the next two hours, the women were dressed, prepped, and in the middle of their target's two-story house stuffed in a rather cozy closet and hoping they wouldn't get caught. Bo grinned at the doctor cheekily. "I thought we put hiding in the closet behind us," she whispered.

Lauren smirked at her before pulling something out of a pocket and reaching forward towards a circuit breaker panel jutting out of the wall. A moment later, there was an audible noise and a few muffled shouts of surprise from outside. "I didn't do much engineering in college," Lauren whispered with satisfaction. "But I think we're good. Power's out."

A squeeze on her shoulder congratulated her before Bo turned and slowly opened the closet door. A woman was hurrying down the hall in their direction, presumably to figure out what had happened. When she reached the part of the hall where the closet was, Bo pushed open the door and leapt forward. One hand reached around the woman's mouth to muffle any noise she could make while Bo pulsed pure arousal through every single point of contact. Once she was sure the woman could barely think straight (ha), Bo released her.

"Can you take us to who you're protecting?" Bo asked softly. The woman nodded blankly and started to walk, continuing the path she had been going before.

"I think I know where you're going. Everyone's probably going in the same direction," Lauren murmured into Bo's ear. "I'll create a distraction. You get the Elder."

"Be careful," Bo said hurriedly as the doctor turned a corner. Feeling anxiousness start to itch in her throat, the succubus clenched her fists and hoped that she could get to the Elder and finish everything quickly.

Meanwhile, Lauren waited for a few moments before she started taking off at a run, making as much noise as possible as she headed towards an intersection that she knew would also lead to where Bo was going. Memorizing the layout of buildings she would go to had turned out to be a very good habit to get into.

"The Elder is this way!" She shouted to an imaginary team member before ducking into one of the rooms nearby. It was a study that felt well-worn: there was no dust on the desk that occupied the center of the snug room and the walls were either shelved or had a space for a picture frame. The back of the room sported a magnificent window staring out into the back yard and the trees that lay beyond.

The desk was a nice stroke of luck for Lauren and she quickly crouched down where it was, her back to the door. She only spent less than a second's thought on hoping that no one would be quick enough to chase her to the study. Raising the gun that she had been forced to bring and now thanking Bo that she had been meticulously trained in its use, Lauren fired off two shots that rang through the air. Then, Lauren darted towards one of the bookshelves and hefted a thick manuscript that looked like a brick.

It flew threw the air a moment later, shattering the window spectacularly and spraying glass out onto the lawn. Then, Lauren backed up and ducked under the desk as the door burst open. Footsteps rang out as a couple of people ran to where the window was, unaware of the blonde hunched behind them, putting something in her ears.

The bodyguards were too busy talking to notice the small object that rolled out by their feet until it exploded in a flash of light and sound. Staggering around disoriented, neither of them were able to fend off the woman who rose up behind them and quickly took them out.

Adrenaline thudded in Lauren's veins as she went back to the door and pulled it open. A few more people would be arriving at the source of the noise soon. The blonde took off, feeling slightly woozy. The flashbang had been a bit too close to her for her to escape the effects entirely, but Lauren was able to quickly regain her bearings: Bo needed her.

Lauren emerged from the stairwell to see Bo barreling towards her. The succubus smiled widely at the sight of her. "Oh thank God, I heard the noises and thought..." Her voice sounded slightly tinny to Lauren's ears because of her earlier distraction, but the doctor still heard her and she smiled back.

"Did you get-?"

Bo shrugged. "I let him escape. Apparently there's a very powerful backer for this war who's overriding even the Elders," she explained before she yelped as Lauren yanked her down. A gunshot rang through the air and Lauren swore she felt a few of her hairs rustle from the passage of the bullet.

"Good save," Bo grinned, looking unruffled as she unsheathed and threw her knife in one smooth move. There was a thud and a cry of pain. Neither of the intruders looked to see what had happened to their attacker, instead running down the stairs. There, they headed towards the entrance of the home only to come to a stop at the sight of the door completely boarded up with thick planks of wood. Bo couldn't help but laugh. "I can't believe Ryan was this desperate," she said, running a quick eye over the blocked area before shaking her head.

"Ryan?"

"Yeah, the Elder. Ryan Lambert. I don't think you ever met him. I've, erm, met him before. He's a Loki." The two had turned and were heading towards the back entrance.

Shouting was ringing throughout the house now as the remaining bodyguard (and perhaps the one Bo had thrown the knife at) tried to chase them down. Bo and Lauren arrived in the first room just seconds before their pursuers and exchanged glances. The door to outside was slightly ajar and there was an unconscious body on the floor. They took off towards the door, leaping over the body. The uninjured bodyguard was fast on their heels. At the last second, Bo dove to the side and Lauren wrenched open the door again.

A whizzing sound could be heard before a dart blossomed on the guard's stomach. She staggered back and then dropped like a stone. Bo was already out of the door by then, with Lauren a step behind her. The trap that the doctor had rigged to take care of anybody exiting that way was quickly dismantled when the doctor ran by and snatched the gun out. Then the two took off across the lawn and down the street.

Nobody tried to stop them and half-way to their drop-off point, Lauren felt Bo reach out and hold her hand tightly. They didn't speak for a minute as their frantic pace slowed down and they reveled in their success. Finally, Bo said, smiling, "We're-"

"-a great team. I love you." Lauren blinked and then realized that she was laying cocooned in her bed. The words Bo had said to her then rang in the air and Lauren closed her eyes, trying to grasp at the dream and the feelings that had flooded her then: the flush victory of success at finally being Bo's equal in some way, the utter joy and love she always got when she heard the last three words fall from Bo's lips, and of course the desire to ravish the succubus on the spot.

Lauren smiled sleepily to herself, too drowsy to be bothered by the worries that plagued her when she was awake and instead returned herself to her dreams where she was happy with Bo and didn't have to hold back for fear of the future.

(-)(-)(-)

The relationship between Lauren and Kenzi in the future was one that was forged slowly, through lots of time and shared missions and a uniting love for Bo. That's why it still surprised Lauren to arrive at the clubhouse to realize that Kenzi hadn't called her for a life-threatening emergency but rather for "girl bonding time, but not the Bo-type shenanigans you would like."

Strangely enough, Bo wasn't going to be participating.

When Lauren arrived, the succubus looked as if she were leaving her home, neatly bumping into Lauren at the doorway. "Sorry," Lauren said automatically as she stepped back to prevent being knocked over.

"No problem," Bo assured her. Lauren finally looked at the brunette's face and felt a confused expression form on her own at the sight that greeted her. Bo was smirking in a very assured and knowing manner that made the doctor very, very wary.

"What's wrong?" she asked slowly.

"Nothing at all, now that I've seen you today," Bo flirted teasingly. Lauren felt her face warm slightly as she stared nonplussed at the pleased-looking succubus. "Anyways," Bo continued brightly, "I have... things... to do. Maybe stop and smell the flowers."

"B-" Lauren didn't even manage to get out Bo's name completely before she swept out the door and past Lauren, keys jangling in her hand. The door swung shut and Lauren stared at it for a long time before finally turning to stare at an equally mystified Kenzi. "What just happened?"

"I have no idea... I hadn't really talked to her that much this morning and I think she came home after I was asleep yesterday," Kenzi said thoughtfully. "She left with—ah, well, that doesn't matter. Let's get this show on the road! What d'ya wanna do?"

"Dyson," Lauren stated calmly. "She left with Dyson."

"Well, yeah," Kenzi looked vaguely apologetic.

Lauren smiled slightly, feeling warmed by the surprising empathy being provided. Changing the subject abruptly she asked, "You invited me over without knowing what we could do?"

"I wasn't planning on it happening," Kenzi admitted. "It just happened." She grinned mischievously. "How about we play 'How many drinks does it take for the doctor to get smashed?'"

"I might surprise you," Lauren returned, grinning. "Though it is rather early for drinking..." A sudden thought struck her. "Has your arm been okay then? I have no idea what effect alcohol would have on whatever fell on you."

"Nothing really... kind of itchy sometimes," Kenzi shrugged. "And since I'm not dead yet, I think drinking is fine. Drinking is good for any time of day, Dr. Hotpants."

Vaguely assured, Lauren decided to relax. "No drinks for me though," she requested. "Maybe some other time." She jerked her head towards the TV with a small grin. "Why don't we go kill some robot hookers?"

It turned out to be a surprisingly good bonding experience as they swapped a few stories over the background noise of explosions and gunfire. Sometimes, Lauren got distracted and referenced a story she had told her own Kenzi before, vaguely covering it up with the rather weak excuse that she thought she had told Kenzi already or that she forgot she hadn't told Kenzi.

They didn't exactly share their deepest, darkest secrets but Lauren learned a little bit about Kenzi's favorite heists while Kenzi learned of Lauren's happier school days. By the time the door opened again, the two had fallen into a comfortable silence, unwilling to broach any of the deeper topics but pleased all the same with each other's company.

Kenzi smashed her trigger in a focused manner and then called out to the footsteps coming in from the doorway, "Hey, you gonna join us Bo? It's not pillow fighting, but I'm telling you the doc is actually pretty good."

There was no response and Lauren turned around, a smile of greeting already forming on her face when she froze. "Nadia?" she asked in utter bewilderment.

Kenzi actually dropped her controller as she turned as well. "I thought she left," she remarked, throwing a confused glance to Lauren.

"I drove her out myself," Lauren confirmed, standing up and walking quickly towards Nadia. "Babe, what are you doing here?"

"I... I wanted to look for Bo," she said slowly, before wincing and rubbing her temple with one hand. For some reason, she kept the other one bent behind her back. "Though I suppose..." she looked up and gazed at Lauren dead in her eyes. Lauren took a step back at the emotionlessness of her ex-girlfriend's face. "I'm mad at you too," she finished.

An uneasy feeling wormed in Lauren's gut. _No... way..._

"Okay, did I miss something?" Kenzi asked from beside Lauren. "I thought you two parted on good terms and everything."

"Maybe on Lauren's end," Nadia said slowly. She stepped forward with an equally deliberate pace and Lauren tensed. The brunette finally straightened out her other arm, revealing a long knife the size of a butcher knife with a rather sharp tip.

"O-oh kay... Let's not do anything hasty..." Kenzi cautioned while backing up with Lauren only for both of them to collide with the couch that they had only just recently been playing games on.

Lauren felt numb throughout her body as she stared at the knife and the woman who wielded it with a horror that Lovecraft could have only aspired to create. "No," she croaked. "This can't be happening."

She was back, reliving the fear as Nadia stabbed savagely at her when she had been defenseless in the shower. She was back, could almost swear she was in her apartment when Nadia had flown into her rage at Bo's presence and thrown her into the wall before proceeding to attack the succubus. She was back, feeling the same feelings of uselessness and ineffectiveness.

Nadia stabbed at a motionless Lauren.

Kenzi shoved Lauren to the side and the blonde fell over while the shorter human moved in the opposite direction of the push and out of the way of the jab. Nadia swung wildly at Kenzi with her free fist and the blow struck, sending the other human careening away. Then, she turned to look back at her former target.

Lauren slowly got to her feet. The numbness had spread completely. It was like she could feel nothing at all; she couldn't even think. But this time, the blonde didn't stand still. When Nadia attacked again, Lauren blocked the clumsy, unpracticed attack (it was surprisingly and almost freakishly strong) and smoothly twisted the arm. She caught the knife when it slipped out of nerveless fingers and then flung Nadia to the side.

With clinical, precise movements, the doctor went over to Kenzi who groaned and clutched at her ribcage as she leaned heavily on the counter. It would bruise, but the human herself seemed fine with no broken ribs or major damage. Assured that there was nothing more she could do, Lauren made to turn back around.

Her senses screamed distantly in the back of her mind, warning her of the attack that awaited her. Still in her detached zone, Lauren reacted instinctively. When hands wrapped around her arms and locked into a painfully tight grip, the blonde snapped her head forward. There was a crack somewhere, but Lauren didn't feel any pain at all as Nadia's grip loosened at once from the fierce blow.

The knife moved forward in a clean line as Lauren took advantage of the slackened grip to brace herself against the floor, putting all her force into the stab.

...It slid so easily into flesh, cutting through veins and organs until the blade had reached Lauren's steady fist. The blonde looked down at the knife where it was entrenched in Nadia's abdomen blankly. Then a gentle hand came to a rest on her shoulder, calling her eyes up and up and up...

Nadia smiled at her.

"I'm... sorry," she choked. "Th-ank y-you." She fell backwards, pulling herself from the knife.

When the body thudded to the floor, the emotions hit Lauren like a freight train. There was a clatter as the knife fell from her now shaking hands onto the floor. The floor where Nadia was lying. The floor that was going to stain with the blood of the woman she had _just killed_. Horror warred with terror and fury within Lauren and she wanted to scream. Somewhere in the part of Lauren's mind that wasn't a shattering, gibbering mess, she noticed the sound of the front door opening.

_Bo's saying something_, Lauren realized dimly. At first, she sounded frantic and demanding, grating on Lauren's frayed nerves. The blonde clenched her fists, both to hold herself back from responding violently as well as to stop herself from vomiting on the spot. Then, Kenzi's weaker voice said something and Lauren continued to stare at Nadia's body as Bo left to go to the other human.

Bo's warmth approached her again, close but not quite touching. Her voice was gentle. Or at least, it sounded gentle. Perfectly sympathetic, kind, and warm. Lauren didn't care. She wanted to turn and scream in the succubus's face. Rage about how she hadn't been there when Lauren needed her. Rage at Nadia herself for succumbing to the Garuda and coming back. Rage about how she herself had done _everything_ to prevent this from happening and yet here it was, playing out again like some messed up Groundhog Day.

And the anger... it felt so _wrong_. It was foreign in the way that it overtook her senses far past any reasonable threshold for rage and pain. Lauren felt her legs tense and then she took off running, leaping over Nadia's body without a second glance. She couldn't bear to look at what had just happened. She needed to leave. She needed to get out of this room and out of this nightmare and away from the fury.

Lauren could hear Bo trying to catch up with her, but the doctor had too much of a lead and she leapt into her car. She didn't fumble with her keys; they slid in as smoothly as the knife did into Nadia—a thought that made Lauren cringe even as she gunned the engine and took off.

Nadia was a wound that had healed long ago. It had scarred, of course, in the way that the loss of a loved one could never vanish entirely. But even that mental scar had faded especially when Lauren had driven Nadia away and thought she had succeeded (finally) in changing something major.

What had just happened tore open that scar.

Lauren's first thought was to go to her apartment to hide in its relative safety. It was a place where she could curl up and allow her heart to bleed. Where she could avoid looking at shaking hands flecked with blood. The moment the thought occurred, however, a flash of memory reminded her all to clearly of how Nadia had died in that place as well. Going back to her apartment would do little but remind her once again how badly things had gone.

She didn't want to go to the Light Compound though. The thought of Lachlan sent another wave of unreasonable fury through the doctor's skin as she remembered times when she had been locked up and treated as property. Lauren actually jolted in her seat as a thought struck her like lightning.

With only a cursory glance around, Lauren abruptly yanked on the steering wheel, crossing over to the lane beside her and then turning at the corner. Someone honked at her furiously, but the doctor ignored it as she drove single-mindedly towards her goal.

Minutes later, she parked in front of a small parking lot by a building that looked like it had seen better days. It wasn't exactly run down, but it wasn't the model of infrastructure either. It had been vacant for a while, but Lauren knew with some work it could become quite the place. The blonde human got out of the car and quickly crossed around to the entrance.

The inside was far better than how it had looked on the outside. The building was clean and well-lit and basically just felt roomier than how the outside implied. A familiar sterile smell wafted into Lauren's nostrils as she walked into the waiting room of Lana the Serket's new clinic. To Lauren's relief, there were no patients waiting so she walked right up to the counter and rapped on it firmly. "I'd like to talk to Lana please, it's urgent. Tell her Dr. Lewis is here."

The man at the desk looked up, a faint look of surprise on his face. "Dr. Lewis of the Light Fae?" He gulped slightly as he saw her face, no doubt bruised and maybe even a little bloody from when she had headbutted Nadia. His eyes slid down to her hand and flickered slightly. Lauren quickly pulled the fist back to her side and out of sight of the seated man. She gave him an impatient look and he gulped and nodded, dialing in a number to his phone. A moment later he looked at Lauren again. "She's down the hall, first door on your left."

A short nod was the only thanks he was given before Lauren followed his instructions with more calmness than she thought was possible in her current state. When she pushed the door open, Lana was waiting in a clean white lab coat over simple scrubs and a smile. "Lauren! How are-" she saw the expression on Lauren's face and faltered "-you?"

Lauren's mouth opened. Her mouth moved soundlessly, trying to release words and feelings but unable to. Then, a sob finally wrenched its way free. "I killed her," she said numbly.

"You what?" Lana looked stunned and worried. "Who? Fae? What happened?"

Lauren's head shook back and forth as she trembled like a leaf, feeling the familiar rage course through her veins again. "I need... I need a lab. I think—there's something I need to check."

"O-of course," Lana agreed. "You've helped me so much, it's the least I can do. Do you need any-?"

"No—I... I just need a lab. Alone. Don't tell... Don't tell anyone." Her voice was short and jerky, thick with unshed tears. "Please." The last word was a whisper, a heartfelt plea that caused Lana to nod more firmly.

"I've got a small lab set up in the room across from us. Will you be okay?"

"Yes. Thank you." Lauren gave a weak smile.

"Okay," Lana nodded, ushering her out the door and towards the lab. "I'll be in the ward right there." She pointed to another doorway in the hall.

Then, Lauren was alone and she fumbled into the room.

This time, when she tested herself, she took samples from both her left and right arms. Her fingers trembled at times, but she channeled her rage into what she was doing. This time she wasn't feeling numb and working mindlessly, but rather she was so full of emotion it felt a bit like she was just pulled along for the ride.

And then she waited.

The results came quickly. Lauren had pulled out all the stops to get her work processed and in the end, she stared at the two samples in a stunned sort of "aha, I knew it" fashion.

Just like Nadia, she was possessed—tainted, controlled—by the Garuda. She had never figured it out because for some reason, the arm that had been covered by the substance from the Norn was clean. But now, Lauren was looking at the irrefutable proof that the Garuda had some influence on her body and her emotions... maybe even in the current moment.

If anybody had been around to witness what happened next, they probably would have thought that Lauren had finally snapped as the doctor began laughing wildly. She was trembling and had to lean against the table to keep from falling but her lips were stretched into a wide grin as she laughed and laughed and laughed.

Here it was, the perfect piece to the puzzle that she had already started to solve weeks ago when she had encountered the Garuda-controlled redcaps. Lauren swiped up her blood samples and slipped them into her pocket as she continued to giggle wildly to herself.

Then she wasn't laughing anymore but rather crying, slumping down onto a stool as she did so.

It had taken stabbing Nadia to realize the ticking time bomb that she had been. It had taken history repeating itself. _What if I can't change anything? _Lauren raged silently, muffling her mouth behind the nook of her elbow. She thought of Ciara, the sweet fairy who had forgiven her so freely for her actions.

There was a knock on the door.

Lauren stiffened up, clenching her mouth and eyes tight as if somehow that would ward off whoever was out there. "Lauren? I know you're in there," Bo said quietly. When she didn't get a reply, the succubus twisted the knob and entered the room. She saw the doctor slumped at the table, her head buried in her arms. One of her clenched fists poked out from the little shelter and despite herself, Bo reached out and touched it, causing the doctor to jolt.

Still, Bo gently pried open the grip, wincing at the crescent shaped marks gouged into the skin of Lauren's palm. The succubus was unfazed by Lauren's muteness. She had been the same several years ago when Kyle had died in her arms. But back then, she had broken that silence when she thought she had people who would listen to her and accept her still. _Then again, I never wanted to bond with Lauren on the aspect of killing someone we loved_, Bo thought drily.

At least in this case, she could use her own knowledge to try to help Lauren as much as possible. "When I... killed... Kyle, I didn't want to talk about it either. But then I came home and it spilled out of me to my parents." Bo laughed shortly, but didn't continue. This was supposed to be about Lauren, and her own story was known already. "Lauren, I'm not going to react like my parents did. I'm not going to reject you for something that was so obviously not your fault. If you... if you want to talk about it... I'm here."

At first, Lauren didn't reply, but just when she was about to give up hope, she slowly lifted her head. Bo smiled slightly in relief as Lauren looked at her, face smeared with tears. Her eyes were red, but a faint sense of gratitude shone through them. "I don't think I can talk about it now," Lauren admitted in a hoarse whisper. "Maybe... after the Garuda is dealt with."

"I'm already on it," Bo promised. "Trick is tracking down the Garuda's base and then I'll lead the team and kick its ass."

Lauren froze. Bo was unaware how the Garuda could turn the team on each other—that had been partly how Ciara had died in the first place. _Oh... Ciara_, Lauren thought. If time truly was immutable, then the fairy was going to die next.

But that couldn't happen. Not after losing Nadia, and definitely not after learning what such a wonderful friend the fairy could be. "Bo... I have to go," Lauren said suddenly. "I... need to talk to Ciara." She winced when she saw the succubus's crestfallen and hurt face. "It's not what you think! It's just... something to do with the Garuda. I..." Lauren stopped and took a deep breath. Then, she deliberately looked into Bo's eyes as she gripped the other woman's hand like a lifeline. "Can you stay with me tonight? At my apartment."

"Sure," Bo agreed readily.

"Just... Just to hold me," Lauren hastened to add. Her voice was choking up again.

"I know," Bo said quietly. "I'll do it."

(-)(-)(-)

Ciara would have bought a mansion, but the thought of living in it alone was not something she enjoyed, so she had gone all out by buying a luxury apartment and then decorating it to the fullest extent possible without cluttering the space. Lauren's own apartment paled in comparison to the smooth but welcoming décor.

In fact, the entire building was so beautiful Lauren felt almost as if she were sullying the place when she touched the button to get buzzed into the place by Ciara.

"You need to leave," Lauren said abruptly the moment she came face to face with the fairy.

Ciara blinked at her.

"You have to get out of here while you still can. Let the rest of us deal with the Garuda," Lauren continued when no answer was forthcoming. Her voice was becoming desperate and if Ciara looked closely, she would see the frayed edges of Lauren's control on her already unstable emotions. The blonde doctor refused to sit down and so the two continued to stand in the middle of the lavish room.

"You know I can't do that," Ciara replied gently though she was quite confused. When Bo had called her, the succubus implied that Lauren had been coming to talk something about the Garuda. Ciara had expected a determined doctor turning the grief from losing a loved one (Bo had told her about that too) into a quest for vengeance against the Garuda. Instead, she got a woman who was pleading for her to run and leave the fight to the rest of them. It was rather confusing.

"But you have to!" Lauren argued, her composure crumbling. "Ciara, you're in _danger._"

"And so are you," Ciara pointed out reasonably. "So is Bo and Kenzi and... Dyson. So is Hale. Every single fae is in danger from that monster, Lauren. I'm not that special."

"But you _are_," Lauren replied fervently, pleading.

"Why?" Ciara's calm demeanor was just as effective as if she had screamed at the doctor. "What's making you panic about _me_, when you could be worrying about Bo? She's the Champion, after all, is she not?"

"Ciara," Lauren said hoarsely. She stopped and swallowed. "If you go against the Garuda, you will _die_." _I couldn't save Nadia, but maybe I can save you..._

"What are you talking about?" Ciara asked warily. Lauren sounded so _certain_...

Lauren took a deep breath. "There's something you need to know about this bracelet..."

* * *

A/N: I wanted to leave off where Nadia was killed but then I was like "Nah. I shouldn't do _that_."

I also hated that memory-dream sequence. Wrote 2k words for it. Erased that. Wrote another thousand words. Threw it. Then finally settled for what you see here. *Sad sigh*

Since this chapter was so late, I skipped editing it (which I'll probably regret later lol). So if you notice anything at all about spelling and grammar and stuff, please point it out!

And NOW, the question is... Will Ciara learn the truth at last about Lauren's time traveling? Dun dun dun. Also, just wondering about your opinions: what is your take on the implication that the Wanderer is Odin?


End file.
